Nigeria’s political parties hijacked by elites – Mike Igini

Former Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mike Igini, has warned that political parties in Nigeria have been hijacked by elites. Speaking in Bauchi State, Igini expressed concern over the undermining of internal democracy and the issue of party financing, both of which have been controlled by individuals and elite groups.

He emphasized that for democracy to have a hopeful future in Nigeria and across Africa, there needs to be a total shift in the way political parties are managed. Building a political party as an institution requires individuals who uphold democratic values, as they cannot simply emerge from the air. Igini pointed out that today, in Nigeria and across Africa, the value pyramid is upside-down, with dishonesty at the top and those who engage in wrongdoing being celebrated.

He questioned whether such people have the potential to rebuild the system that has taken control of political parties. If the current state of political parties persists, democracy's future in Nigeria, as well as in most African countries, is in jeopardy because it has failed to benefit the ordinary Nigerian and most Africans.