A Former Aide To Ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Has Accused Former President Olusegun Obasanjo Of Setting The Tone For The Weakening Of Political Parties In Nigeria.

Laolu Akande Said Obasanjo’s Years In Office Marked A Turning Point That Reduced The Strength And Independence Of Party Structures Across The Country.

He Argued That The Presidency Began To Overpower Political Parties During That Period.

Akande Made The Claim During A Recent Television Interview Where He Spoke On The State Of Party Politics In Nigeria.

According To Him, The Problems Facing Political Parties Today Did Not Start Overnight.

He Said: “One Of The Reasons Why All Of These Uninspiring Dispensations Of Party Politics Are Upon Us Is Because The Nature Of Party Politics In Nigeria Has Been Heavily Devalued, Heavily Destroyed Starting From When Former President Olusegun Obasanjo Was In Office As Our Civilian Leader.

“It Was Obasanjo Who Taught Us How To Effectively Subdue Parties And Their Structures Under The Presidency.”

Akande Explained That Nigeria Once Had Strong Political Parties With Clear Authority Over Their Members And Candidates. He Pointed To The Second And Third Republics As Examples Of Periods When Party Leadership Carried Real Influence.

Moreover, He Recalled That Before 1999, Parties Such As The SDP And NRC Were Powerful Institutions. Their Leaders, He Said, Were Not Easily Overridden By Presidential Ambitions Or Executive Power.

“In Both Republics, The Political Parties And Their National Leaders Had Some Serious Cloud Over And Above Presidential Candidates And Their Even The President,” Akande Said.

He Argued That This Balance Changed After Obasanjo Assumed Office As President. According To Him, The Presidency Began To Dominate Party Affairs, Weakening Internal Democracy.

Akande Cited An Encounter Involving A Former PDP Chairman As An Example Of How Things Used To Be. He Quoted The Late Chief Audu Ogbeh As Telling Obasanjo, “I’m Not Your Cook But Your Party Chairman, So Talk To Me With Respect.”

He Questioned Whether Any Party Chairman In Today’s Political Environment Could Speak With Such Confidence Or Authority.

Akande Also Referenced The Early Days Of The Peoples Democratic Party. He Said Obasanjo Sidelined Solomon Lar, The Party’s Founding Chairman, Shortly After The PDP Was Formed.

According To Him, The Former President Went Further To Influence Who Emerged As Party Candidates For Major Elections, Including Governorship And Presidential Contests.

Akande Said These Actions, Whether Intentional Or Not, Damaged The Foundation Of Party Politics In Nigeria And Set A Precedent That Future Leaders Followed.