NIGERIA'S POLITICAL PARTIES LACK IDEOLOGIES, SAYS ESKO TOYO

EMERITUS Professor of Economics, Eskor Toyo, has described the 62 political parties in Nigeria as ones without ideologies and do not believe in the country, hence the lack of internal democracy.

Toyo, who spoke at the Aminu Triangle Square in Dutse, Jigawa State capital recently, said the incursion of the military into politics had done more harm than good to the psyche of politicians. He added that they practised plutocracy, which was a government by the rich rather than democracy.

He said it was only when the   nation's politics tended towards the late Malam Aminu Kano ideals of putting the common people first that Nigeria could be said to be actually practising democracy.

Toyo said the country had never had real political parties that championed the cause of the masses except the defunct National Element Progressive Union (NEPU) under the late Malam Aminu Kano.

The social crusader said Nigeria had not achieved anything in democracy, hence there was nothing to celebrate. He cited the fact that our elections have been sham as the will of the people had never been respected.

He said he witnessed elections under the British rule when contestants had ideas unlike the present times that people were foisted on the community for selfish reasons.

The former university teacher called for a revolution so as to emancipate Nigeria from the shackles of poverty and under-development that had been bequeathed to the people as a result of bad leadership.

He indicated that the challenges, which have bedeviled the country since independence could only be changed through a total revolution.

While commenting on the leadership of the Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, Toyo described Lamido as a true socialist that got his bearing from the NEPU and the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) doctrine which put the masses first in their programmes.