The nation’s present democratic challenges have been blamed on absence of formidable political opposition against alleged poor policies and moves of the ruling party in government.

Speaking at the maiden annual colloquium by Dr. Abdulmumini Yinka Ajia, themed, Democracy and good governance in Ilorin on Wednesday, an associate professor of Business Administration at the Lincoln University, Missouri, USA, Dr. Abdulmumini Yinka Ajia, charged electorate to start looking for an alternative to the two leading political parties in the country ahead 2027 general elections.

“The two leading political parties in the country are like six and half a dozen. They’re not different. They are same. The PDP has not showed us they’re ready to take us out of the problems and challenges we’re facing. It’s time we looked different ways and be prayerful. As we approach 2027, we should look for a crop of new generational leaders that will be kind to Nigerians”, he said.

Ajia, who said that Nigeria political system is dysfunctional, added that it also lacks organizing principle.

He said that the country is poor and the people impoverished because the nation was not organised.

“Resources are not being channelled to right and appropriate places while the country suffers due to lack of organising principles.

“Religion is not what is holding us back. We’re holding ourselves back. We should use our money to get what we can’t do for ourselves like Qatar. We should change our ways. We should start thinking, taking new ways for our development and be focused in our prayers.

“We need to renegotiate how we share power in this country. Present arrangements serves no one any good as money bags continue to plunder the Nigeria state and keep it in their pockets.

The Lincoln university associate professor also advised that Nigeria should abolish presidential system and create small constituencies, describing the present political system in the country as, “This is not democracy. But crops of civilians doing whatever they like.

“What do we say of political crisis in Rivers state House of Assembly where legislative house was demolished. Do we have ease of doing business?”, he asked rhetorically.

Ajia said that the colloquium was organized to contribute academic knowledge to national development, especially, on present precarious nature of our country.

In his presentation, titled, Social advocacy and activism for political change, delivered by a lecturer in the department of Islamic Studies of the Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Dr. Sanusi Haruna Lafiagi, charged Nigerian electorate, especially, youth to actively participate in politics and political process, saying that is when the people would have preferred and credible leaders.

“We must come out in unison and chart way forward collectively”, he said.

Lafiagi said that for Nigeria to achieve social advocacy and activism for political change, the people need education, political education and political enlightenment, especially among youth in the grassroots.

He also said that, “We must start creation of awareness before the 2027 election day to evaluate candidates that would be presenting themselves for election and not on the day of election.

“We also need structured organization of the youth. That kind of structured organization of youth with same ambition, goals and not haphazardly, like that of the #EndSARS.

“For instance, in the recent tax protest in Kenya, there was no demolition of supermarkets, public and private buildings etc, but a purposeful and determined way of achieving set goals and plans”. (Nigerian Tribune)

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