Parties lack political ideology in Nigeria – Bafarawa

A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Abdullahi Bafarawa, on Sunday said that lack of party ideology was the major reason politicians were cross carpeting.
Bafarawa, a former governor of Sokoto State, made the observation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Sokoto.
According to him, unless leaders of political parties form and maintain political ideologies on their stand, cross carpeting from one party to another will continue to exist.
He said that it was only in Nigeria that candidates worked against their parties when they failed to secure parties’ tickets to contest elections.
“We can’t reach anywhere if we continue to practice our democracy in this way and the reason is because parties lacked political ideologies,” he said.
Bafarawa said that politicians should work out ways of adopting political ideologies for the overall political development of the country.
“Parties must have political ideologies and programmes for the electorate and for parties to have sense of direction,” he said.
Bafarawa also called on leaders of the political parties to embark on aggressive political sensitisation to promote political tolerance and understanding among their members and followers.
He said that political violence and thuggery would do a great harm to the development of democracy and free, fair and credible elections in the country.
Bafarawa said that leaders of political parties, especially those seeking elective positions, must educate their supporters not to see election as a do-or-die affair.