The Ruse Behind Multiple Political Parties in Nigeria by Salaam Rasak O.

The much touted Anambra Gubernatorial election has come and gone and a winner has emerged, although, under mixed reactions of fair or unfair election. Needless to make matter out of a molehill, it was fair to an extent as no political party candidate dispute the election results at present. It is therefore worthy of posing Congratulations to the Incumbent Governor, Willie Obiano, who was equally reelected. 

However, Obiano should be specially praised for successfully  passing through the political hurdle saturated with 36 other political titans. We may say he won the people's legitimacy owing to fairer administrative control, not-too-poor first term policy and moderate performance in the areas of service delivery. No doubt, Obiano needs improve and consolidate achievements. 

Of importance, however, is the prevalence of many political parties in Nigeria without inputs. In the just concluded election, 37 political parties participated with their 37 representatives. To this end, many political pundits have predicted that it would be a divided or shared votes among these parties. Surprisingly, Willie Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, won all the 21 Local Government Areas in the state. Such is no longer news in Nigerian political system. This political gambit could be explained against the backdrop that they exit to gulp INEC funds and make names. The existence of redundant, irrelevant and dispirited political parties is an age long phenomenon in Nigerian multi-party system. 

Historically, during the Second Republic (1979-83) when the military government lifted ban on party politics in September, 1978, 52 political parties sprang up and only five were registered by the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO), and to an extent, these parties were vibrant and active. In light of the foregoing, there is a need for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take an overhaul on the existing political parties. Too many political parties confuse the electorates, particularly illiterate ones. Even within the spectrum of INEC officials, I couldn't help laughing when confusion keeps recurring in calling names of political parties during the compilation of results yesterday. This is odd, but has for long been overlooked. We must take a closer look. To political observers and analysts, to what extent can we justify the relevance of multi party system that connotes pseudo parties, basically existing to gulp INEC money and make names?