Prof. Jonah Onuoha, a Lecturer in the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, has said that no ruling political party likes opposition parties, even when they are constitutionally allowed.
Onuoha, who is also the Director, Centre for American Studies in the university, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria ,NAN, in Nsukka yesterday.
He said that it is not a crime for any politician to belong to an opposition party.
According to him, many ruling parties in the world, especially in Africa, hate opposition parties because they fear the opposition may wrestle power from them with the slightest mistake.
“Opposition is not a crime because the Constitutions of Nigeria and many other countries, especially those practicing multi-party democracy, recognise the existence of opposition parties.
“Why the ruling party is always afraid and jittery about opposition is because it is felt that the opposition may wrestle power from it.
“Frankly speaking, ruling party needs opposition parties to succeed because their comments and criticisms help to put it ,ruling party, on its toes”, Onuoha said.
He, however, regretted that some opposition parties do not engage in constructive criticism but only criticise every policy of the ruling party, not minding its merit.
He, therefore, said that it was normal for the ruling All Progressives Congress ,APC, to be jittery over the defection of some of its members to the Africa Democratic Congress ,ADC, because of the fear of losing the 2027 General Elections.
“Many members that have defected from APC to ADC are from former Congress for Progressive Change that was part of the merger that produced APC in February 2013.
“The allegation by the defectors is that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has not been fair to them in terms of appointments”, he said.
Onuoha, a former Head of Department, however, said that “ADC may not stand the test of time or succeed in its dream of winning the 2027 presidential poll.
“The coalition of opposition parties, called ADC, is confused and may not be able to win the ruling party in 2027 as they are boasting now.
“Unless the chieftains do the needful by merging their parties with ADC, that is when Nigerians will take them seriously.
“As of now, ADC is a mere coalition that has no political agenda for the country.
“The only agenda it has for now is boasting to defeat the president in 2027.
“Unfortunately, many of them have not resigned their membership of APC, PDP and LP.
“They have one leg in ADC and one leg in APC, PDP and LP.
“It is illegal and unconstitutional to belong to two political parties at the same time.
“Those affected will fail INEC screening for 2027, if any of them buys form to contest for any elective position on the platform of ADC in 2027″, Onuoha said.
