It really pains me when I'm listening to the news and I hear a so-called expert recommending a two-party system for Nigeria. Apparently, it's a good idea because it will make the presidential debate less confusing.

Why are people so stupid? The whole point of democracy is the freedom to choose a leader. When that freedom is restricted in any way, it makes life very easy for corrupt and power-hungry despots.

If there are just two parties, and the two parties are controlled by corrupt people, what will we be able to do? If you have good ideas on how to best serve your country, state, or local government area, why should you be forced to join a party whose policies may not agree with yours? Why should you be forced to join a gang of rogues?

People calling for a two-party system because it makes voting easier should be careful lest they get it. It is like asking the government to shut down all phone companies except just two so it will be easier to choose which network to join. How stupid. (the last two companies will be very happy because it means much less competition).

The perceived success of June 12 is one reason why such 'experts' are not being laughed at, but don't forget that we only voted for MKO Abiola because we wanted the military to leave at all costs. He was very corrupt.

Some people are saying that the two party system is ideal because most small parties are filled with crooks. This is consolidation mentality singing, and as usual it's a wrong tune. Isn't it our duty as voters to vote against crooks? Isn't it the duty of INEC to screen criminals? And who says there are no crooks in PDP, the leading party?

On the issue of making the presidential debate less confusing, it's a simple matter of picking only the top candidates for the main debate! For example, in the presidential debate, the TV station organizing it could have picked Yar'adua, Atiku, and Kalu alone, depending on the candidates their viewers would like to see. It's not an INEC matter!

On the other hand, I might be wrong. Can you share your opinion on this matter, please?

I think a two party system wouldnt be a bad idea and here is why, to seperate the real contenders from the pretenders. When you have people like Moji Obasonjo running for president it makes the office or the whole process look like childs play. Any idiot(would i get banned for that?i hope not) can open his mouth and say he his running for president just because the system allows a crowd in.

Advocating for a two party system just to make the debate simpler or easier is of course senseless, but that the serious would be seperated from the unserious i think it wouldnt be a bad idea.

Anyone that suggest two party system in Nigeria is equally suggesting for one party system because at the end of the day the ruling party will occupy all the seat in the House both at state and federal level thereby not giving room for opposition and even when the opposition party get some seat in the House what will be their impact?

Let's consider PDP and AC as the only party in Nigeria, with the number of state won by PDP and AC only Lagos what will be the AC's impact as all Motions and Bills will be pass in favour of PDP who are the majority.

I strongly appreciate multi-party system because those other party in the House will form a minority group that will be strong enough to oppose PDP in so many ways.

So my word to MR Two Party System, NIGERIA IS GOING FORWARD PLEASE LET IT BE!!!

the closest we ever came to a credible two-party system was b/w 1990 and 1993, sdp and nrc. and i must say, it was a system that worked perfectly.


we need a two party system. i know this may sound a bit obserd and draconian, but what they should do is come up with some sort of exam for all politicians to take. the questions should be issue-based. depending on what your responses to the questions are, the politician will be recommended to be on the left or on the right, sort of a conservative and labour thing.

that way, we move into a totally new realm of politiking in nigeria: issue-based

lets have 2 party system with the possibility of an individual running as independent candidate.

What's the point of a two-party system if an individual can run as an independent candidate? People are argh!!

2 party system will greatly limit the people's choices which is what democracy is not about. Even in advanced democratic states like America and Britain, they have more than 2 parties and we are supposed to be learning from them. I don't think 2 parties will suffiently represent the interests of the people.

streetcyph:


but what they should do is come up with some sort of exam for all politicians to take. the questions should be issue-based. depending on what your responses to the questions are, the politician will be recommended to be on the left or on the right, sort of a conservative and labour thing.

that way, we move into a totally new realm of politiking in nigeria: issue-based

this made me laughed

what exam? or do you think the best student in the exam is the best person with good vision?

2 party system, 1 party system, 100 party system
what s the difference?

parties are supposed to have different ideologies,
in Nigeria what do we have?
the parties dont even know the meaning of ideology, goal etc

it is always the same thing, we will give this and that and all the parties always fall short of their promises

i dont get it!

here even someone going for Senate will be promising to provide water immediately after being voted into power!
what is the meaning of that?

political parties in Nigeria are formed by people who wish to wrestle power from the ruling party!

even if we have 3 perty system , it will not make any difference
we are not practicing democracy yet

my prayer is that sometime, we will start getting it right

perhaps, then we will talk about the kind of party system we want to operate.

.

i have this feeling that critics will run out of ideas if they want to analyse our own type of democracy

People are advocating for a two party system because (1) it makes voting easier, (2) brings out the best candidates from parties where every contender goes through a primary system. (3) Establishes a clear cut ideology of either party, which gives people a clear cut choise of party which closely follows their beliefs. (4) establishes clear cut opposition party, (5) cuts down on cross carpeting of unscrupulous politicans. (6) This will also cut down on sectional politicking and allow the country to wax stonger together, bring cohesion of language. Last and not the least, cuts down on expenses of funding parties and eliminates parties of convinience where unqualified people only convene parties for the money they get to steal, not to talk of the chaos involved in having so many numerous parties.

I will however suggest maybe three parties not the chaotic twenty something!

viee:

i have this feeling that critics will run out of ideas if they want to analyse our own type of democracy

Honestly they will because our own democracy does not have definition

its not 20 , its not 30 . at the last count it was 50 something. it doesnt get more ridiculous than that!!!

are there that many different ways to run a country? are there that many different political ideologies. we will realise that if we can look beyond disgusting selfish interests, greed and corruption, there will be no need for more than 3 parties or so. it just doesnt make sense. no one is asking for a statutory limit on number of parties as that would be unconstitutional. we are simply hoping that reason (instead of greed) will shine its light on those who set up these parties and realise that a formidable opposition isnt borne by getting ur family and freinds on one tiny boat when there are countless tiny boats sailing on the same troubled waters.

think of an army of ants which together weigh more than a piece of biscuit lying on the floor. if each ant wants to pull the biscuit in its own direction the biscuit wld lie there forever unmoved. but if they come together and agree on a direction to carry the biscuit to, in the twnikling of an eye they wld have made more progress than one ant can make in a lifetime.

these people are hiding under freedom of association to nurture their selfish interests and personal vendetta. when they put Nigeria first then automatically, they will unite and fight for the improvement of the nation. until then the albatross known as PDP will continue to rule.

1, 2, 5, 8 party system; it doesn't matter in our society (Nigeria).

A thief is a thief, a dog is a dog; our people will still find a way to insert mago mago strategy into any selected system; so please save the money and time.

What we need is culture clean up.

Our culture is unique, pleasant and magnificent, but this same element is also killing us.

Therefore, no matter what choice of party system we select, as long as our state of mind, mentality and uncivilized ways of life are not properly approached with a suitable rectification method, we will continue to sing that same old song for many many years to come, while our country remains permanently allergic to progressiveness.

This reminds me of an incredible car with a defective engine. Instead of thinking about getting a new engine the owner of the car continues to spend so much money on the paint job and expensive rims for the car, but the fact that the car has a defective engine remains the same; hence the car can not be moved from the same position.

Big B1:

This reminds me of an incredible car with a defective engine. Instead of thinking about getting a new engine the owner of the car continues to spend so much money on the paint job and expensive rims for the car, but the fact that the car has a defective engine remains the same; hence the car can not be moved from the same position.

BOY HAVE YOU SEEN love-vendor MY RIDE?
some defective are are better than a new ride, lol

http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1557868&vid=146828

look at the full video,

i am in full support of 2 party system, more parties more WAHALA for Nigerians.

@ mamajama

i dont think that our problem here is about the party system we practise

It wont solve the problem but it will limit the re occurrence of this violence and election Malpractice. you give people options you limit your problems, but you give them multiple choices, you create more problems.

The two party system worked perfectly for Nigeria before Babangida's leprous hands annuled errr sorry cancelled our freest and fairest elections ever.

Why:

1. There is no danger of the country degenerating into a one party state because the second party serves as a more formidable opposition group. Imagine the situation where we have more than 30 political parties with virtually all of them being no more than haphazard structures put together merely to further one man's presidential ambition. Why do you think Buhari and co were calling for a consensus to put pressure on the PDP?
With a more formidable opposition perhaps PDP would not have been able to rig the last elections as brazenly as it did. When loyalties are divided into many spineless parties, of course it was only a matter of how and not if the PDP was going win the elections.

2. It reduces the number of charlatans pretending to be running for political office to the most serious and commited aspirants.

3. Those complaining that a two party system would lead to a one party state are only pretending not to see that we already have a ooone party state situation as at present even with our multitude of parties. with the exception of perhaps 4 or 5 states, the PDP is virtually in charge of the entire country! As usual after the elections, most of the parties disappear only to reappear when there is another election!

we had something similar to 2 party system in '99 general election
talking about the presidential this time

obj had a landslide victory
the house was a mixture of PDP, AD, & APP
we never felt the 'impact'

in Nigeria, so many things have gone
parties grow everday for politicians that could not pick their parties ticket to join another, (that how i see it)

a case in point is Pere Ajunwa

we have to first of all start practising democracy in its true sense before we can discuss which one is more suitable

The idea of 2 party system sounds OK, but in Nigeria I'm not sure if it will work.

The 2 party system will just give 2 friends or 2 cousins or 2 associates a chance to play around with our heads. At the end of the day, it wouldn't matter who is elected.

For example, could you imagine Atiku leading one party and his very close friend (Tinubu) leading the second party; does it matter who is elected as the president among the 2?
My answer: it doesn't matter, it is the same pocket.

Usually in a society where mago mago is the king of success, nothing works.
Let's clean up our culture first, starting with each and everyone of us; and then we can think about implementing strategy that will guard us toward political success.

If you cast your mind back to the era of the aborted Third Republic i.e. during the SDP/NRC time, one will not hesitate to advocate two-party system for Nigeria.

It was well balanced because it's either you belong to the left or to the right.

The problem with multi-party system especially in third-world countries is that you have so many parties that management becomes very difficult as witnessed during the last selection process.

In addition to this, you will have so many Davids that can never withstand Goliath a la PDP.

Whether we have one party or hundred parties in Nigeria, we will still bastardised it. The problem with Nigeria is attitude and bad leadership and not system.

Only God can save us.

Big B1 I disagree with you again on this issue, yes it will work in Nigeria, prime example The current president of Zambia was single handedly funded and selected by CHiluba the ex president.  Mr Mwanawasa said that he would grant a presidential pardon to Mr Chiluba if he admitted the allegations of corruption and returned 75% of the cash he allegedly stole after he became the president.

OBJ was single handedly funded by IBB, but OBJ turned on most of his people.

if Jesus was betrayed by his disciple, what makes you think friends wont betray each other for their selfish ambition.  I still thing 2 party system will solve some of our problems but not all.

Beline:

, , , because our own democracy does not have definition

Our version is called Kleptocracy - the more you look, the less you see.

How can we educate people that the 5000 Naira they are getting from this politicians today to vote for them is not worth the prolong suffering that will be bestowe on their children and generations to come. EDUCATION IS THE KEY

The two party system worked perfectly for Nigeria before Babangida's
leprous hands annuled errr sorry cancelled our freest and fairest elections ever.

We don't really know whether it would have worked. We never got the chance to test it. it may have failed.

Can you mention the name of one country that operates a centrally-mandated two party system? No.

I personally don't think we should necessarily have a two party system because someone of good quality might have differences with the only two parties they may have. I think we should have procedures and requirements for contesting; (i) Like making sure any candidate and deputies from the presidency down to the local government be a university graduate because these people represent us locally and internationally. It is also like a competition test, te less educated on the world stage is taken less serious, has less vision in accomplishing goals, and is not just right in this day and age; (ii)Every candidate should declare their asset to the public like naija is presently doing; (iii)Any intrested candidate should be born in Naija and if not should have Nigerian parents and would have spent more than twenty years in Nigeria and also participated in the nation youth corp. (iv) Matter of fact they should also write a Nigerian leadership test that is 40% alternative question and 60%theory dat ask of accountability and patriotism and it should be done on national Tv just like the national debate. (v)There should be an election before the real election like making people vote their first two parties inorder to eliminate confusion before the main elections. It is possible if we device the technology in order to let electorate personnels touch the ballot box fewer and basically just be a supervisor of their posts and direct people on how to vote and should also have surveillance cameras made in Nigeria dat runs in all polling booths and probably another technique dat is efficent. Is just dat we'r too scared and too personal at times dat we let our natural instinct values take a back seat.

Seun:

Can you mention the name of one country that operates a centrally-mandated two party system? No.

I know of no country with a two party system as you describe it. However, for all the countries that have two party systems in practice, it is more a consequence of the chosen electoral system: the more proportional the system, the more parties you'll have. In a plurality system like the Uk or the US, you have a natural tendency towards a two party system as the less fractured the electorate is, the more chance of winning you have. The main disadvantage of a plurality system is that it usually doesn't properly represent the opinions of the electorate.

@nferyn: exactly. So why are our people now calling on the government to disqualify all parties except two?

Its like that military stuff is stil in yall nigerians .This is demo"crazy", and all dem' crazy people can contest. Am for a 2 party sysytem but not with the current setting of nigerian politics.Its until we can allow an hausa man contest in igbo region i.e allow anybody to contest from any part of nigeria as long as they have lived there for 5 years , then , 2 party sysytem can work OTHERWISE, tribalistic system of governance will be in play.Its obvious that the 2 party system will definitely favor the north. Its when we see beyond that divide that such a system can work in nigeria, word!

there is no point advocation for a two-party system. nigeria and nigerians would always find their ways out. lets leave critics with their ideas and see how things naturally turn out. there are parties in U.S bet we kinda only hear about two. if Nigeria needs a two party system, it will one way drift towards it. if not, it will not. the most important thing is that 'our Nigeria' should get better!!!