The forum, in a press statement issued by its chairman, Mr Musa Maigida Abdu after its weekly meeting held on 21st April, 2010, noted with concern that “Nigeria’s democratic journey is dangerously drifting.”
The group maintained, “The polity looks dicey. It is clear that as of today, the way the various political parties function, aspirants for state or National Assemblies seats cannot win primaries let alone the real election without the support of the state governors. The state governors have become the INEC [Independent National Electoral Commission] for the states. Equally true is the fact that to unseat a state governor no matter the good policy of the opponent is a Herculean task because the political parties lack internal democracy.”
Reason for this, the forum said the governors are in charge to delegates to the presidential primaries and whosoever the governors support will get the presidential ticket for the election.
The forum was equally unhappy with the judiciary. “Election tribunals sit for upward of almost three-and-half- years to decide on an election petition. And if the result favours a petitioner for a re-run, corruption does not allow any free poll; in that case the judgment given only favours the first so called ‘victor’ in the poll because, he may now spend almost seven years on a seat which is meant for four years,” the statement expressed.
The group believes that Nigeria’s democracy will be a huge success in 2011 if elections are free and fair.
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