News Central TV yesterday hosted the inaugural Political Party Chairmen’s Dialogue, a significant gathering of Lagos political party leaders aimed at fostering greater political engagement, governance reforms, and democratic deepening in the state.
The event featured chairmen from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Labour Party, Action Alliance (AA), Social Democratic Party and more parties. Notably, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos’s ruling party, was absent from the dialogue.
The dialogue provided a rare platform for opposition parties to express shared concerns about the state of democracy and governance in Lagos. George Ashiru, ADC Chairman, emphasised the need for collaboration among parties to strengthen governance and internal party democracy. He questioned the dominance of single-party rule and called for a political culture where parties actively engage beyond elections to monitor governance and promote policies.
Similarly, Adenipebi Mode Adekunle of ZLP highlighted the challenges opposition parties face under the current “winner takes all” political system, where ruling parties allegedly work to weaken opposition through internal disruptions. Ronnie Dikko-Kila of NNPP echoed these sentiments, attributing opposition fragmentation to deliberate actions by ruling parties.
Philip Aivoji, PDP Chairman in Lagos, underscored the importance of leadership ethics and the need for credible candidates who respect the rule of law. At the same time, Labour Party’s Dayo Ekong stressed the critical role of political parties in enabling citizens to express their political ideologies and participate in democratic discourse.
Addressing perceptions of Lagos as a one-party state, Kehinde Adegbulugbe of the Action Alliance firmly rejected this notion, pointing out that Lagos hosts 18 political parties actively vying for influence and representing opposition voices.
The absence of the APC chairmanship sparked discussions about inclusivity and the ruling party’s role in fostering a vibrant democratic environment. Participants agreed that sustained dialogue, institutional reforms, and genuine political competition are essential for Lagos’s democratic progress.
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