By Perpetua Onuegbu
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) says the inclusion of leading members of opposition parties into the presidential campaign council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will endanger Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Rafsanjani, said this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
“CISLAC views the inclusion of FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike of the PDP; Gov. Charles Soludo of APGA; Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Accord into APC Presidential Campaign Council as a development with significant implications for the credibility, independence and future of Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
“Although political cooperation and freedom of association are legitimate democratic rights, the emerging situation raises an important question.
“What meaningful political alternative can opposition parties offer Nigerians when some of their most influential leaders are actively coordinating the re-election campaign of the ruling party?
“Political parties must represent identifiable policies, programmes and principles, rather than merely serve as convenient platforms for personal political advancement,” he said.
Rafsanjani said the organisation was concerned because Nigeria’s opposition political structures could become increasingly weakened, fragmented and incapable of providing the checks and balances required in a functioning democracy.
He further said that a situation whereby leading opposition figures openly promote the electoral interests of the ruling party while retaining their political identities and influence would weaken their parties.
“Citizens are entitled to question the ideological direction, independence and credibility of those political institutions.
“Cross-party cooperation is not inherently unlawful and the involvement of politicians in another party’s campaign does not automatically amount to defection or misconduct.
“Nevertheless, a multiparty democracy becomes increasingly vulnerable when political competition is reduced to negotiations among powerful individuals rather than genuine alternatives available to voters.
“Nigerians deserve political parties that are accountable to their members and transparent about their electoral commitments,” he said.
Rafsanjani said he was also worried about the danger of blurring the boundaries between government responsibilities and partisan political activities.
He said public office should not be an instrument for financing campaigns, intimidating political competitors or mobilising government institutions for electoral advantage.
The rights advocate explained that Section 99(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 prohibits the deployment of state apparatus, including the media, to advantage or disadvantage any political party or candidate.
“We, therefore, demand strict safeguards against the diversion of public funds, official vehicles, government facilities, security institutions and administrative influence into partisan campaigns.
“Any credible allegation of such abuse must be independently investigated and appropriate sanctions imposed where violations are established.
“Nigeria does not need political parties that are different only in name while operating through the same networks of power and patronage.
“We need institutions capable of presenting competing ideas, questioning government decisions, defending citizens’ interests and holding political leaders accountable,” he said.
He urged the affected parties to clarify their positions to Nigerians, adding that political leaders should respect their responsibilities to voters and party members.
The CISLAC boss cautioned that the gradual erosion of effective political opposition, combined with the misuse of incumbency and weakening of party institutions would endanger democratic accountability.
He stressed that democracy was not strengthened by eliminating political alternatives.
Rather, he said, it was strengthened when citizens could freely choose between credible and genuinely competing political programmes.
“Nigeria must not drift toward a one-party political system,” he said.(NAN)(NAN)
PUO/FEO/KUA
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Edited by Francis Onyeukwu/Uche Anunne
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