It's 24 years into the 4th Nigerian Republic, why is independent candidacy still not supported after many constitutional amendments and reviews.
Funny when you consider it was supported in the first Republic. Why this unnecessary party politics?

We need it seriously

Maybe next electoral law will capture it

Independent candidates don't win major elections anywhere in the world. It's a complete waste of time and resources.

SoNature:
Independent candidates don't win major elections anywhere in the world. It's a complete waste of time and resources.

Benny Sanders always ran as an independent for senator. There are two more independent US senators. There are 18 independents in the UK house of commons. In the Nigerian 1st Republic, there were independents in all houses - federal and regional.

osuulola:

Benny Sanders always ran as an independent for senator. There are two more independent US senators. There are 18 independents in the UK house of commons. In the Nigerian 1st Republic, there were independents in all houses - federal and regional.

Ping me when an independent candidate becomes the president of a democratic country. There's a reason I added major to my comment

SoNature:


Ping me when an independent candidate becomes the president of a democratic country. There's a reason I added major to my comment

It's not the presidency that I'm about. An evolving democracy would give an option where I can sell myself to the people directly. It also allow people leave their political parties when ideologies changes. Everything is not winning.

osuulola:
It's 24 years into the 4th Nigerian Republic, why is independent candidacy still not supported after many constitutional amendments and reviews.
Funny when you consider it was supported in the first Republic. Why this unnecessary party politics?

I would have loved the entire electoral system to be reformed in such a way that the party system is scrapped completely, the party system is not really working for Africa as a continent, because a den of thieves, rogues, ritualists, drug lords and so on can gather and form a party and you don't expect such people to have good plans for the people.

When such people have the most money to throw away for elections they in turn recover it when they win and share among themselves and the cycle continues, this same people in turn pick the worst among themselves to give political offices to ensure such a person doesn't enter there and have a change of heart.

Party politics is resource consuming and how many genuine people are ready to compete in throwing genuinely earned money like the ones who do not genuinely earn it to win an electoral seat.

Just the same way you see a yahoo boy spending money anyhow, you won't see even an oil worker who is even richer than the yahoo boy throwing his money like that.

So I feel the party political system has only bred cartels in politics who only come to steal and destroy the system for their selfish gains.

Solution:

1. INEC should scrap the party system.

2. Any individual interested in getting elected should register on INEC with certain requirements for each positions,

a. You must have lived in the area you want to get elected for at least 10 years with proof of tax payment.

b. You must have no record of crime, conviction and so on.

c. You will need a minimum certificate requirement for each position.

d. You must not have dual citizenship, if you have, you must denounce the other before you take up the registration with documented evidence.

e. You mustt declare everything about you and any falsified record If found even if you win is automatic disqualification and prosecution.

These are the ones I can remember for now but there could be more.

3. All candidates will write an exam at the various levels they wish to participate in, the system will pick the best 10 for each category from presidential to councillorship.

4.,adverts will be done by INEC for each candidate according to what is in their manifesto or what they want INEC to show for them, the same allocation of time, money and channels.

5. INEC will conduct debate for all the candidates at all the categories for people to hear each of them.

6. INEC will conduct the election electronically, everyone should vote from home with your mobile phone so there will not be any ballot box snatching, you might say this one is not possible, but it is very possible.

If this can be done, then we will have at least better candidates getting into offices and no one putting pressure on anyone like what Wike is doing to Fubara....

This is just a simplified explanation, a whole lot of work needs to be put it to checkmate the entire system but it is workable and will produce better results, if everyone knows he/she doesn't need to spend a dime to become president of Nigeria, why should anyone who meets the requirement not try?