Peter Obi: Political Parties Should Be More Powerful Than the Government
Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has called for the building of political parties in Nigeria that are more powerful than the government and law-abiding.
Obi disclosed this while delivering a speech during the public presentation of two books authored by Ike Abonyi, a veteran journalist.
Obi said public office holders have contributed to the collapse of political parties in the country by manipulating their internal processes.
He added that Nigeria needs parties that are structured, organised, and capable of existing beyond individual ambitions.
Although speaking at a book launch, his remarks came against the backdrop of the power tussle that has permeated Nigerian political parties.
Recently, Alex Otti, governor of Abia state, allegedly chaired the Labour Party’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting even though he is not a statutory member, a move said to be against the party’s constitution.
“We are working hard to build that new Nigeria where we are going to have political parties that will outlive us, that is organised, that will be bigger than the government.
“Because, as it is narrated here, we now have a situation where those of us who are opportune to be in government have helped to ruin the parties.
“Let’s hope that one day, we will have parties that are bigger than government, that will run the way parties are run in other nations of the world and will be law-abiding,” Obi said.
At the launch of the books titled The Bubbles of Nigeria’s Democracy: The Musings of a Nigerian Journalist and Wadata Wonders: Memoirs of a Partisan Journalist, Obi commended writers and journalists documenting Nigeria’s political journey.
The former governor of Anambra state also urged more professionals to share their insights with the public, saying such contributions will fuel change in the Nigerian political space.
Obi has also teamed up with Atiku Abubakar and other political heavyweights to use the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a coalition platform.
It remains to be seen if individual ambitions will not eventually undermine what is just getting started.
