Experts call for stronger institutions, internal party democracy, and greater citizen participation
Democracy advocates, scholars, and policy experts have called for comprehensive reforms of Nigeria’s political parties, warning that the country’s democratic consolidation will remain fragile unless political institutions become more transparent, accountable, and responsive to citizens.
The call was made on Tuesday during the Dr. Tajudeen Abdulraheem and Prof. Abubakar Momoh Memorial Lecture, organised by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) in Abuja.
The lecture, themed “From Promise to Paralysis: Political Parties and the Challenges of Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria,” brought together academics, policymakers, civil society organisations, development partners, and governance experts to examine the role of political parties in strengthening democratic governance.
In her opening remarks, the Chairperson of the event, Prof. Nana Tanko, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of the African Policy Research Institute, described the memorial lecture as an important platform for reflecting on Nigeria’s democratic journey. She stressed that strong and credible political parties are essential for accountable governance and sustainable democracy.
Delivering the welcome address, the Director of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) West Africa, Dr. Dauda Garuba, said the memorial lecture honours two distinguished African intellectuals whose contributions to democracy, governance, and social justice continue to inspire democratic reforms across the continent.
He noted that political parties remain the foundation of representative democracy but lamented that many have been weakened by poor internal democracy, weak institutional structures, and the absence of clear ideological direction. He called for reforms that promote transparency, accountability, inclusive participation, and issue-based politics.
In the keynote presentation, Dr. Samuel Agwu examined the evolution of Nigeria’s political parties and their impact on democratic governance. He argued that many parties have drifted from their founding ideals, resulting in weak accountability, limited citizen participation, and governance challenges.
Dr. Agwu advocated reforms aimed at strengthening internal party democracy, ensuring credible leadership recruitment, encouraging ideological politics, and empowering citizens to play a more active role in the democratic process.
Also speaking, Dr. Kole Shettima, Director of the MacArthur Foundation, emphasised the need for sustained support for democratic institutions and civic participation. He said building resilient democratic institutions requires collaboration among government, civil society organisations, development partners, and citizens.
In a goodwill message, Amb. Dapo Oyewole, Secretary-General of the Organisation of Southern Cooperation (OSC), paid tribute to the late Dr. Tajudeen Abdulraheem and Prof. Abubakar Momoh for their enduring contributions to democracy, good governance, and African development. He urged emerging leaders and civil society actors to uphold the values of justice, accountability, and inclusive governance championed by the two late scholars.
Participants unanimously agreed that strengthening political parties is fundamental to improving governance, enhancing electoral integrity, and consolidating democracy in Nigeria. The annual memorial lecture continues to serve as a platform for critical discussions on democratic governance while preserving the intellectual and leadership legacies of Dr. Tajudeen Abdulraheem and Prof. Abubakar Momoh.
