Fear of one party: INEC urged to commence funding of political parties

Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) has been advised to immediately recommence the funding of political parties as a way of ensuring that the treat of of country becoming a one party state was forestalled.

The national chairman of New Nigeria Peoples Party(NNPP), Chief Boniface Aniebonam made the call in a press briefing in his hometown, Umuawulu, Awka South LGA, Anambra State during the week.

Aniebonam said the victory of the All Progressives Congress(APC) presidential candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, which has seen politicians from all platform defecting to the victorious party was a threat to democracy.

He said the essence of multi-party system was to open up the political landscape for people to test their popularity, but that aim is going to be defeated with the rush by politicians, especially from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to move to APC.

“The excuse given by INEC to stop funding of political parties is that some of the political parties can not be located, while some form parties because of the incentives they will get from INEC. But these are not enough reasons, all these infringes on the right to association.

“If INEC continues like these, they will be shutting out young politicians and also infringing on peoples right to association. What they should do is to sieve the parties and especially the existing ones and fund them well.”

He warned members of the PDP to stop running to APC but stay back in their party to form a credible opposition, which he said is the hallmark of democracy.

Aniebonam whose party also supported President Goodluck Jonathan in his bid to secure a second term said now that Buhari has won, the party will enter into responsible partnership with him, just to ensure that the common good of Nigeria and Nigerians is guaranteed.

Spe3aking on the just concluded elections, the NNPP boss said that Nigeria elections are still far from free and far, but said there is hope for improvement in the future, just as the just concluded exercise was a step ahead of previous elections.

He said that until the Igbos are given the chance to lead the country, that is when the country can really boast of unity as the Igbo presidency will unite the country.