The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) has stated that political parties in Nigeria have not been able to live up to their billing because of the lack of funds.
APGA’s national chairman Victor Oye who made this remark on Wednesday at the Chinese embassy said: “there is no way political parties can function optimally without proper funding.”
He recalled that “there was a time the Nigerian government was funding the parties. But this was suddenly stopped for no explainable reason. Since the stoppage the parties have been literally left in a lurch.”
He called on the Chinese ambassador to Nigeria to draw the attention of his home government to this all-important issue.
Oye said, “For us as political party leaders, we will continue to do our best to run our parties with utmost sense of responsibility and seriousness, not minding the enormous tasks facing us.”
He stated that the occasion “affords political actors in Nigeria a rare peep into the legendary CPC which for 100 years has helped to turn the Chinese Republic into a formidable global power.
“Nigeria and China share a lot of things in common, though not limited to diplomacy.
“Both nations have enjoyed the rich experience of each other in the areas of culture, economy and education. It is therefore no wonder that many Nigerian businessmen and women have found their way into the Chinese markets and are doing very well.
“By coming together here we are challenged to learn a few things from your rich reservoir of knowledge and experience which we will hopefully plough back into the administration of our various political parties.
“May I state without any equivocation that political parties in Nigeria have not been able to live up to their billing because of the lack of funds. There is no way political parties can function optimally without proper funding.
“There was a time the Nigerian government was funding the parties. But this was suddenly stopped for no explainable reason. Since the stoppage the parties have been literally left in a lurch.
“So, it would not be a bad idea if Mr. Ambassador could propitiously draw the attention of his home government to this all-important issue.
“For us as political party leaders we will continue to do our best to run our parties with utmost sense of responsibility and seriousness, not minding the enormous tasks facing us.
“Let me arouse the consciousness of all of us seated here to other qualities of a true leader as espoused by Dallek. They include; consensus-building, charisma, credibility and pragmatism.
“There is no way we can develop as political parties if our leaders failed to imbibe these characteristics,” he said.
