Dr. Celestine Chukwuneye, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, has voiced his disapproval of the tactics employed by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the previous year’s elections.
Chukwuneye contends that Atiku’s opposition strategy is overly aggressive and lacks substantive evidence and constructive solutions. Speaking in Lagos, Chukwuneye emphasized that effective opposition should be grounded in factual criticism and should offer viable alternatives.
He lamented the absence of a robust opposition party or coalition in Nigeria, which he believes is crucial for holding the government accountable and ensuring optimal performance. “We need a strong opposition. It helps to make the government perform to its optimum. It is my wish that the opposition should get their acts together.
In politics, there is no need for undue rivalry. I don’t believe in that. It should be live and let live,” Chukwuneye stated. He urged the opposition to contribute positively to the nation’s progress by acknowledging the government’s successes and providing fact-based critiques when necessary. “If the ruling party gets it right, it is good for the country.
The opposition could be in government tomorrow as it happened in 2015 and life continues. Whether in government or opposition, do your best for the country,” he added. Regarding the recent meeting between Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, and Atiku, Chukwuneye expressed support for potential mergers.
“If it is about a merger, it is good. Let them merge. It is a good thing for the country. We should have two good strong parties in the country. The others can pursue their agenda,” he remarked. Chukwuneye also highlighted the disunity within all political parties, describing it as detrimental to Nigeria’s young democracy. “All of them are in crisis. This is not good for the country. They should be focused on delivering the dividends of democracy,” he said.
He pointed out the invisibility of smaller parties, noting that they only become active during election periods. “You hardly hear anything from them. They only come around when there are elections,” he observed. Chukwuneye called for amendments to the electoral laws, suggesting that the required percentage for winning a presidential election should be revised. “We borrowed our presidential system from the United States. But, in that country, no one wins the presidential election with less than 50 percent of the total votes cast,” he concluded.
