Speaking in an interview on Arise Television on Monday, Professor Ibrahim Gambari said Nigeria’s democratic problems cannot be solved by big speeches or powerful individuals.
He said the biggest problem in Nigeria’s democracy is the political party system. According to him, most political parties in the country do not have clear beliefs, identity, or internal democracy.
Gambari said strong political parties would prevent fears of Nigeria becoming a one-party state. He explained that parties should stand for clear ideas that people can understand and use to judge their performance, but this is mostly missing in Nigeria.
He also dismissed fears that Nigeria would turn into a one-party state, saying such attempts have failed in the past. He recalled how the NPC was very powerful in the First Republic but did not succeed, and how the NPN once called itself a “superpower” without progress. He also mentioned that the PDP once claimed it would rule for 60 years, but that did not happen.
Gambari said democracy cannot grow unless political parties are reformed. He added that if Nigeria wants a system where power is shared fairly and not controlled by one group, the country must consider proportional representation. However, he said this can only work if political parties are strong.
He also spoke about the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying it must be trusted by everyone. He said the way INEC officials are chosen should be reviewed and that the focus should be on people with proven integrity, not just their titles.
Gambari added that politicians themselves are part of the problem. He said many politicians do not accept fair play and often blame INEC when they lose elections, even if the process was fair.
He concluded that Nigerians must respect the rules of democracy and avoid blaming others when results do not go their way.
