Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday called for genuine electoral reform to guarantee internal democracy in Nigeria political parties.
Atiku lamented the internal democracy is lacking and badly managed by the Peoples Democratic Party.
The former VP made the call at the Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan,? in a lecture delivered to mark the 50th anniversary of the department entitled, “Thoughts on Internal Democracy in Nigerian Political Parties: Challenges and Strategies.”
According to him, it is only if the party is democratic? that it can protect the rights and privileges of the minority of its members whose views at any point in time could not prevail.
While noting that the ruling party, PDP and other parties in Nigeria lack internal democracy, Atiku lamented that parties in Nigeria continue to deteriorate in terms of internal party democracy, with a continual rise of the dictatorship of the executive office holders and their godfathers.
He listed the adoption of consensus candidate, imposition of candidate in place of elections, structure of party ownership and funding of parties by godfathers as hindering?? internal democracy in the nation.
He, therefore, called for electoral reforms where the appointment of the chairman of INEC and its? commissioners would not be the exclusive preserve of the president. He? also? wants presidents and governors banned from using state resources for electioneering campaigns.
The PDP chieftain further advocated the barring of anyone whose electoral victory is being challenged in court from being sworn in until the case is settled.