A non-partisan organization, Democracy Vanguard has called on National Orientation Agency to begin sensitizing people of Osun on the number of the political parties in Nigeria as election period is approaching for the advancement of democracy in the country.
A statement signed on Wednesday in Osogbo, Osun State capital by the group coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Olowu
said that majority of the Nigerians that have reached age of voting don’t know that political parties are more than All Progressives Congress and People Democracy Party.
Olowu charged the agency on their constitutional function for the advancement of Nigeria’s democracy.
He noted that Eight Five Present 85% of Nigerians are not aware that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has registered eighteen different political parties in Nigeria as at today.
He said, the National Orientation Agency Act, is to mobilize Nigerians for positive patriotic participation in and identification with national affairs and issues. Sensitize, induct and equip all Nigerians to fight against all forms of internal and external domination of resources by a few individuals or groups.
According to him, “We arrive at this after the compilation of our intervention on participatory governance and how free, fair, and credible elections could be achieved in Nigeria. In the said interventions we were shocked when Electorates are informing us that they are not aware that other political parties exist in Nigeria aside from All Progressive Congress (APC) and People Democratic Party (PDP).
“If we do not commence the sensitization it will affect the advancement of Nigeria’s democracy and also hinder the will of the people to carefully study the political manifestos of other political parties.”he added
