… Opposition Warns Proposal Threatens Multiparty Democracy
… Critics Say Move Violates Citizens’ Constitutional Right
A heated controversy erupted on Wednesday as leading opposition figures and pro-democracy advocates rejected a proposal before the Senate seeking to limit Nigeria’s political parties to a maximum of 10, describing it as unconstitutional and dangerous to democratic growth.
The contentious suggestion, made by Senator Muntari Dandutse (Katsina South) during plenary debate on “A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Electoral Act, No. 13, 2022 and Enact the Electoral Bill, 2025,” has sparked outrage across political circles.
Dandutse, while contributing to the debate, argued that Nigeria’s large number of registered parties had become unwieldy, claiming many “exist only on paper” and contribute little to the electoral process.
He said, “The number of parties must not be more than ten. Some of them exist only in name and have no real structures. We must strengthen our democracy by having only serious parties.”
But opposition voices swiftly condemned the proposal as a veiled attempt to stifle pluralism and undermine the constitutional rights of Nigerians to freely associate and participate in politics.
Reacting, Chief Peter Ameh, National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), described the proposal as “a dangerous step backward” and “an assault on Nigeria’s democratic values.”
He said, “This misguided suggestion is the inevitable result of anti-democratic politicians forcing their way into our legislative chambers. It blatantly disregards Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees every citizen the freedom of association and political participation.”
Ameh warned that the move could drag Nigeria back to the dark era of one-party dominance, recalling that similar attempts to deregister parties in the past were resisted both legally and politically.
“This proposal reflects a sinister attempt to drag Nigeria back to a one-party era — a dystopian idea patriotic Nigerians fought against years ago,” he added.
Similarly, Chief Chekwas Okorie, founding National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), said Nigeria’s diversity demands a multiparty system that accommodates a wide range of political interests.
Okorie noted that any political group that meets the requirements set by law deserves registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He said, “Nigeria is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country. Multi-party democracy remains the best system to ensure inclusion and representation. Limiting the number of parties will deny Nigerians the right to pursue their legitimate political aspirations.”
Several civil society organisations have also begun mobilising against the idea, warning that it could pave the way for elite capture of the political space and further weaken citizens’ participation in governance.
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