Political economist and activist, Professor Pat Utomi, has said that political parties have lost their voices. He recently revealed that the only strong opposition figures to the Federal Government are few voices on social media.
Speaking at the David Oladipo Leadership Roundtable themed “Nigeria and Opposition Politics,” Utomi lamented that most opposition parties have lost their voices due to fear of persecution and internal crises.
Represented by Dr Chidi Okpaluba, President of the Centre for Africa Renaissance, Reformation and Development, he declared that it is sad to see that no political party is actively challenging the government in power despite its many failures.
“The only strong opposition we have today is a few active citizens on social media. Outside that, no political party is challenging this government,” Utomi said.
Pat further criticized the silence of opposition parties on electoral reforms and constitutional violations, stressing that “if the electoral system is not reformed, opposition parties cannot win elections in Nigeria.”
The scholar then warned that without reform and collaboration, the country risks sliding into a one-party state.
At the event, the convener, Dr David Oladipo, disclosed that Nigeria has not gotten value for democracy because opposition parties have become too weak to offer viable alternatives to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
He maintained that opposition parties have managed to reduce the relevance of governance debates by failing to prove that they are better alternatives.
“Opposition is not just about shouting. It requires designing policies, proposing solutions and putting forward ideas that can compel the ruling party to act,” he added.
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