Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to work on measures that would guarantee the survival of opposition parties in Nigeria.
Yusuf gave the advice on Thursday in Abuja during the visit of INEC members to the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) office for routine party verification.
Yusuf, represented by the Deputy Governor, Aminu Gwarzo, said that virile opposition was important for the survival of any democracy.
“The opposition parties in this country are going through hell, politically. All these crises, left, right and center, are artificial. They are being engineered and sponsored.
“So, INEC should come up with ways to checkmate any untoward excess of any national government in power towards opposition.
“I believe a vibrant opposition is the oxygen of democracy in any given situation. Without any oxygen in the democracy, opposition is weak and dead, and democracy will fail,” Yusuf said.
He, however, expressed confidence that the NNPP would in the nearest future win more elections including power at the central government.
In his remarks, NNPP National Chairman, Ahmed Ajuji, pledged that NNPP would continue to play its role as the ruling party in Kano state, and a viable opposition in other parts of the country.
He said that the annual verification exercise had laid to rest the falsehood by a group of expelled former members of NNPP claiming the management of the party had been handed over to them.
“They claim that the management of the party has been handed over to them.
“The fact that the electoral umpire, the regulator of parties, INEC have come here today to perform their statutory duty, shows that we have been, we are, and by God’s grace, shall continue to be the NNPP,” he said.
Ajuji, however, warned members of the party against antiparty activities.
“This is a democratic party. However, we shall not tolerate members who engage in anti-party activities to do so with impunity.
“No matter how highly placed, all members are expected to remain disciplined and operate within the ambit of our constitution. The internal mechanisms of our party shall be guarded jealously,” he said.
The party National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, also said that the issue of leadership of the party was strictly a Constitutional matter based on the extant statutes and regulations.
He described the judgment “purportedly obtained” by Dr Aniebonam and his group at Abia State High Court, Uzuakoli as a ruse and without substance.
“It is pyrrhic “victory” and confers nothing to Chief Aniebonam and his co-travellers.
“The judgment is a default judgment that was obtained by fraud and therefore liable to be set aside, which process of setting same aside has already commenced,” he said.