Abuja: Former Nigerian Ambassador to Chad, Abdullah Omaki, has expressed concerns about the absence of functional and distinct ideologies among most political parties in Nigeria, which he believes is essential for effective governance. Omaki shared these views during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Omaki emphasized that political parties should act as ‘schools of public leadership,’ utilizing their manifestos to influence government policies and programs. He noted that elected officials are expected to implement their party’s manifesto to deliver democratic benefits to the citizens.
The former ambassador observed that the performance of elected officials is often linked to their political parties, as they are anticipated to function within the party’s frameworks. He stated that these achievements allow people to evaluate the party’s performance in future elections.
Omaki, who founded the Abdullahi Omaki Community Peace Initiative Network, further lamented the focus of political rallies in the country, highlighting that they rarely concentrate on policy issues. Instead, they tend to revolve around personal accolades for individuals’ actions or inactions.
He warned that if the current trend continues, smaller countries in the subregion might soon surpass Nigeria in terms of governance and coordination. Omaki contrasted the present political system with that of the Second Republic, which he described as having more robust party leadership capable of enforcing adherence to party decisions by elected officials.
Omaki pointed out that during the Second Republic, even presidents and governors were subjected to party dictates. In contrast, he noted that today, governors and the president are considered leaders of their respective state and federal parties, leading to a cumbersome system with no clear separation of power.