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Professor of political economy, Pat Utomi, has said that Nigeria is not a working democracy due to the absence of what he called ‘real political parties’.
Utomi made this known during an appearance on Arise TV on Tuesday.
He said that what is obtainable in Nigeria is the focus on elections to grab power.
“Nigeria is not a working democracy, and part of our efforts is to make our democracy work before people think about the next election. Countries don’t grow by waiting for the next electoral process; countries grow through the founding of political parties.
“I can say without any feeling of wrongness that we don’t have a political party in Nigeria today. What we have been able to couple together since 1999 has been a platform for machine politics, where the game is to grab power rightly or wrongly and share spoils.”
He added that he has had conversations with the frontrunners during the 2023 general elections over a merger to make the country better.
“In the last week, I’ve had significant conversations with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Engr Rabiu Kwankwaso and Mr Peter Obi.
“My view is clear on this matter, let’s build a great party that can make Nigeria better. When we then build it, the people from different social movements, in addition to the political parties that come into this one party, subscribe to certain values and ideologies of how you make a nation happen.
“This is what Nigeria needs, and must have but it shouldn’t be about some individuals advertising that they are the ones who should go forward, Nigerians will determine that,” he said.
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