The House of Representatives in a rowdy session once again after several postponements on the deliberation of the amendment to section 80 of the Electoral Act 2006 in order to regulate the number of Political parties in the polity, nullified the idea of Nigeria going for a two-party system. The House, amid protests and accusations which lasted for over one and half hours, voted for multi-party system by 172 votes to 48, while one member

abstained. Majority of the members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House are the apostles of Multi-party system while the Opposition like Action Congress (AC) and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) canvassed for a two-party system.

The first time ever Nigeria would run a two-party system of Government was in 1989 to 1993 during the botched Third Republic enunciated by the Evil genius and the Military Dictator; General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. He had floated two Parties; The Social Democratic Party (SDP) which produced Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Abiola as its Presidential candidate and the National Republican Convention (NRC) which presented Alhaji Bashir Dawakin Tofa as its flag bearer. The election took place on Friday, 12th June 1993, a memorable day in Nigeria Political history. Voters had defiled all odds and they came out en masse to vote for M.K.O. Abiola, the adjudged winner of the election that was annulled by the Military Dictator. An election that was adjudged the freest and fairest ever conducted in Nigeria. Babangida would have earned for himself a good name and his name would have been written on a platter of Gold of Nigeria political history, had he allowed the result of the election to be announced and the winner sworn in as the President and the Commander-in-chief of the Nigerian Armed forces.

During the SDP and NRC era, every Nigerian had the option of belonging to either of the two political parties.  Though, it was funded and founded by the Federal Government, she spent lesser amount of money compared with the huge amount being spent on 59 Political Parties of today. It brought healthy competition between the two political parties. Each Party controlled a sizeable number of states and opposition was tough. It also united the country. It was not ethnical in nature: Despite the fact that Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola was a Yoruba man, both Igbo and Hausa men and women voted for him. The election gave an interesting insight. Again, for the first ever in the political history of Nigeria, SDP produced a Muslim-Muslim ticket: Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola, the presidential flag bearer of the Party was a Muslim and his running mate, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe was also a Muslim. Despite this, The Muslims and the Christians including the Northerners overlooked this and voted for Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the election who later died in detention on the 8th June, 1997. His death brought chaos to the nation but gives us a DEMOCRACY DAY which is a celebrated yearly till today.

In 1979,which marked the era of the Second Republic in Nigeria, the country paraded 5 political parties: Nigeria Peoples Party (NPN) which presented Alhaji Shehu Shagari as the presidential candidate; Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) which presented Chief Obafemi Awolowo; National Peoples Party (NPP) presented Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe; Great Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP) presented Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim. These political parties were used as a show of ethinism. This account for the domination of Western States by Chief Obafemi Awolowo of UPN who won elections in all the Western States, the Southerners voted en masse for Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe while majority of the Northerners went for Alhaji Shehu Shagari of NPN who later won the general election and became the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The inclusion of Dr. Tunji Braithwaite of Nigeria Advanced Party (NAP) in 1983 election did not make any meaningful change as every Nigerian had already pitched his political tent with one Political Party or the other and this justifies the motive behind the inability of NAP to win even a WARD in  that election.

United States of America has been managing her two-Party system. Every country including Nigeria has been following and monitoring the American Elections. Chaos has never been heard of until in 2000 in Florida when there were reports that votes of some Blacks were not counted during the election of George Bush Jnr. of the Republican and Albert Arnold Algore (who was the former Vice-President of Bill Clinton) of the Democrats in Florida State. The situation was brought into control when the election was re-counted for the second time and George Bush Jnr. was declared the winner of the election. Countries like Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Malta, Canada, Japan, just to mention few, practise a two-Party system and their countries are better off politically, socially, educationally and technologically.

On November 8, 2002, the Supreme court of Nigeria in a suit filed by late Gani Fawehinmi against the refusal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register his political Party, the National Conscience Party (NCP) ruled that any attempt by INEC to limit the political space by any form was both ‘’unconstitutional and illegal’’ But let us look at it critically; Presently INEC has 59 Political parties in its register. Time and space would not allow me to mention them one by one. Out of these registered political Parties; Action Congress (AC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Labour Party (LP), Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are making waves in Nigeria Political Stream.

Imagine! Action Party of Nigeria (APN) was formed by the former Lagos State Governor, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande. During the 2007 Election, his party did not win a ward even his Street (Bishop Street, Ilupeju) was won by Action Congress (AC). To worsen the situation, his son, Deji Jakande is a card carrying member of Action Congress. Where are the other registered Political Parties like Kowa Party, Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy, National Movement of Progressive Party, Accord, Action Alliance, New Democrats, Peoples Salvation Party? Just to mention a few. One will be surprised that these Political Parties exist and are enjoying Government money funded through Tax payers. Gone were the days when Pupils in our Primary schools would be asked to name the Political Parties in Nigeria and the answer would be supplied even by a Nursery one Pupil within the twinkling of an eye. None of them including their teachers know the number of Political Parties we have in Nigeria today.
Nigeria would spend less, move higher politically,socially,techonologically, educationally and achieve her political goals easily if  and only  if we could change the constitution which gives room for multi-party system and adopt a two-party system with an Independent Candidate being allowed to contest an election.

Also, a two-party system will remove ethinism in Nigeria Politics. The citizens will be in either party A or party B. The Government will spend less money on Politics and channel more funds to other avenues.   59 Political parties are mere wasting of time, resources and energy. Let save this country from the hand of PDP, the ruling Party which has turned Nigeria into a one Party state. All efforts by opposition Parties to form a strong opposition against PDP has proved abortive and that explains the motive behind the return of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his cohorts to PDP. A two-party system will  bring a strong opposition against any ruling party,  serve as a watch dog over it and best ideas will be gotten from a two-party system. Two-party system is the way forward and it will proffer some solutions to Nigeria political problems.

OLUFEMI OWOADE
LAGOS.
olufemiowoade@yahoo.com
08024543360    07030060026.