The withdrawal of the subvention given to political parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is not a healthy development, especially for smaller parties.
Delta State Chairman of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Mr. Emeka Nkwoala, who made the observation on Thursday, stated that reviving the subvention for all political parties would ensure a level playing field for everyone.
He noted that while big political parties have elected officials who support their various parties with resources, smaller parties do not enjoy such luxuries.
Speaking after the state congress of ZLP for the election of delegates for the party’s national convention, Mr. Emeka Nkwoala lamented the high rate of tokenism among political supporters and Nigerians.
According to Nkwoala, “As of today, most big political parties have elected officials who support their various parties with resources, while smaller parties like ours do not have such luxuries. Previously, INEC used to provide a subvention for all parties, but they stopped it.
They need to create an enabling environment for all parties as a matter of urgency to promote a multiparty system for a healthy democracy.”
He maintained that discussions about political permutations for 2027 are unnecessary, as the leaders appointed by the masses in the 2023 general elections have yet to fulfill their political commitments to the people.
“I am not happy when I hear people talk about the 2027 elections because it has been less than a year since we elected new leaders, yet we are not holding them accountable. Instead, we are discussing another election. They must be held accountable for the tenure during which they were elected.
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We must engage them to ensure that those who were elected fulfill their campaign promises within their tenure. Afterward, there should be a review before the next election to determine if they deserve to be re-elected into office,” he stated.
He further criticized the federal government for the poor economic situation in the country and urged state governments to do their part in alleviating the suffering of the people.
“The people need to interrogate political office holders at various levels because they are receiving more funds from the federal account. We must see what they are using that money for,” he asserted.
Earlier, during the election of delegates for the national convention in Abuja, the National Youth Leader of the party and Chairman of the Planning Committee for the state congress, Mr. Lucky Ukurabore, confirmed the five-man delegates from Delta, alongside the Head of the Department of Election and Party Monitoring at INEC, Barr. Ann Nwoko.
He lauded INEC for taking responsibility in observing the consensus election of delegates for the party as prescribed by the Electoral Act.
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