22 political parties meet, want improved electoral process

Twenty-two political parties regrouped on Monday in Abuja to review their performance in the last general elections and seek ways to correct the mistakes that led to their failure ahead of next general elections in 2019.

Among the parties that were represented at the meeting are Democratic Peoples Party, Peoples Party of Nigeria, Unity Party of Nigeria, Labour Party, Alliance for Democracy, Peoples Democratic Movement, United Progressives Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party, Social Democratic Party and African Democratic Congress.



National Chairman of UPN and Founder of Oodua Peoples Congress, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, represented UPN at the meeting.

Among other issues discussed included how to liaise with the Independent National Electoral Commission with a view to improving the electoral process and marshaling out a blueprint for the incoming administration of President-elect Muhammadu Buhari of the All progressives Congress.

Speaking at the end of the marathon meeting, the Secretary-General of Inter-Party Advisory Council and national Chairman of Progressive Peoples Alliance, Chief Peter Ameh, said the meeting was aimed at providing ways to improving on the electoral process in Nigeria.

He said in the IPAC Code of Conduct, the meeting of Executive General Assembly comprises all the registered political parties.

Ameh said, “We have decided to meet to discuss all the other issues affecting political parties, their growth and development. As you know, we operate a multi-party democracy in Nigeria and we have a council that protects the growth and development of political parties.

“So we called a meeting, reviewed the issues and discussed collectively and brainstormed on other issues on the relationship that will exist between those who won election and those that lost.

“But despite that, we looked at issues on how to re-strategise and create a better environment for the electoral process come 2019, an environment that will encourage multi-party democracy and encourage more parties to win elections because this last election was not really encouraging.

“It has reduced the number of parties that won election in 2011 from about 7/10 parties to just about 2/3 parties.”