Nigeria Content Online

Voting on the
number of parties the country should register for future elections was
yesterday aborted in the House of Representatives when its session
became rowdy over a proposal for a two-party system.

Members disagreed
over the proposal, stalling debate for more than 20 minutes.
Consequently, Speaker Dimeji Bankole adjourned the session and asked
the lawmakers to come with their card today with a view to voting
electronically on the issue.

Minority Leader,
Mohammed Ali Ndume, while contributing to the resumed debate on the
report of the House ad-hoc committee on the review of the 1999
Constitution, at the committee of the whole, called for the reduction
of the number of parties in the country to two.

Mr Ndume, who is a
member of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) proposed the insertion
of a clause under Section 80 of the Electoral Act 2006 to provide for a
two-party system.

Supporting the call, Olaka Nwogu (PDP, Rivers) said the country has operated different systems which, according to him, failed.

Mr. Nwogu said the
provision of a two-party system with a provision of independent
candidacy would lead to a vibrant political situation in the country.
He described the multi-party system being operated today as a “giant
and grasshopper situation.”

Lanre Agoro (PDP,
Oyo) recalled that the best democratic system the country ever had was
when it operated a two-party system, adding that it is the reason why
all nationalists and federalists are asking for a return to the system.

Dino Melaye (PDP,
Kogi) said only election riggers, ballot box stuffers and ballot box
snatcher will support anything but two-party system.

Limited choices

Others, who spoke
in support of the two-party system include Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta), Nkiru
Onyejiocha (PDP, Abia), Femi Gbajabiamila (AC, Lagos), Ahmed Mohammed
(PDP Bauchi) and Samson Positive (PDP, Kogi).

Those who opposed
the two-party system include Cyril Maduabum (PDP, Anambra), Uche
Ekwunife (PDP, Anambra), Nnenna Ukeje (PDP, Abia), Soli Sada Jibia
(PDP, Katsina), John Enoh (PDP, Cross River) and Emmanuel Bello (PDP,
Adamawa).

Mr. Enoh reminded
his colleagues of the stringent conditions provided for independent
candidacy to avoid its abuse, warning that there would not be enough
parties for people to join if the number of the parties in the country
is limited to two.

According to Ms.
Ukeje, Nigeria is nation that is diverse in several aspect, stressing
that two parties would be inadequate for its population.

Ms. Ekwunife, on
her part, suggested that the country should not have more than five
parties, while Mr. Maduabum, who invoked Section 40 of the constitution
during the debate, said the two party system would deny Nigerians
freedom of association.

Ita Enang (PDP,
Akwa Ibom) warned against the proposal saying it was wrong to make law
limiting the number of parties in anticipation of the amendment of the
constitution, stressing that two-party system is a “contamination of
the Electoral Act and Constitution.”

Worried about the direction of the debate and the rowdiness, Mr
Bankole, adjourned the matter. He said today’s session would be
televised live.