The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, yesterday affirmed that the reign of two strong political parties in the country was good for the nation’s democracy. He said that with the development, elections are becoming more competitive.
Reacting to the barrage of criticisms trailing recent spate of inconclusive elections conducted under his watch, the INEC boss explained that though the phenomenon did not start with his leadership as INEC chairman, it is already being addressed.
Yakubu, who made this assertion while addressing journalists covering the INEC at the headquarters of the commission in Abuja, noted that from all indications, elections were becoming very competitive and that the margin of victory had become very tight in recent elections, adding that most of the re-run elections conducted under his leadership of INEC have been keenly contested.
His words, “Nigerians have been praying for the day our votes will count, today I am very happy to say that vote counts and that elections have now become more competitive. Secondly, Nigerians have been praying for a day when we would have two strong political parties and now we have two strong political parties and there are others that are equally coming on strong and winning in areas where they have never won before.
“Elections in Nigeria are becoming better and votes are now counting. For instance, there used to be one strong political party that always won elections but now there are two strong parties.
“Take the case of Kogi, for instance, in the last governorship election, two strong political parties and candidates, a former governor and an incumbent governor, in Bayelsa State, two strong parties, two strong candidates, a former governor and an incumbent governor and the same scenario played out also in Rivers State where a former governor and an incumbent governor were the main actors even though they were not candidates in the elections.”
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