Prof Obinna decries proliferation of parties in Nigeria

A lecturer in Imo State University, Owerri, Prof Valen Obinna has condemned in clear terms, the registration of more political parties describing it as uncalled for.
Speaking to Journalists in his office, Prof Obinna who is also, the Director, Research and Linkages, IMSU, Owerri, stated that the Independence Electoral Commission (INEC) as the name implies should be independent and should not allow anybody to tell them what to do which in most cases, does not favour Nigerians as the number of political parties in the
country is 68 in number. He said political parties in Nigeria should not exceed five and expressed displeasure that INEC has succeeded in registering political parties more than necessary stressing that other developed countries like United States have only two to three parties.
The Professor equally, frowned at the cross carpeting of some politicians from one political party to another, noting that it should be discouraged as well as it shows sign of unseriousness on the part of the defector and advised that there should be a stringent law on how people move from one
party to the other. He emphasized that any party that does not win enough seats should be dissolved in order to have sanity in the political system.
On the issue of local government and their autonomy, he noted that people are doubting the credibility of INEC in terms of organizing and conducting elections, stressing that elections are mere formalities as some politicians believe that they can win elections even without being voted for.
The University Don noted that INEC is appointed by the federal government, have power over them and hence, tells them what to do. He also maintained that the issue of the
local government should be looked into and should be conducted by INEC instead of starting from presidential to state, it should be the other way round and the local government election included.
He therefore, lamented that democracy is not taken serious in Nigeria like the United States and other developed countries as the state government controls the monies for the local government and appoints the chairmen at will the governor decides the conduct of the election and if the election is conducted by the State Electoral Commission, the ruling party has the victory.