24th February, 2014
Former governor of the northern Nigerian state of Jigawa, Saminu Turaki has said the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a strong opposition party is a good omen for the country’s democracy.
Turaki told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kazaure that the dominance of one political party was not healthy for the country’s democracy.
He explained that a single party monopoly would undermine the principle of separation of power.
“With this, there will be a vibrant legislature that will ensure checks and balances for good governance in a two-party system,’’ the former governor said.
He said Nigeria was now going through a learning process towards achieving a sustainable democracy.
“It took the U.S. 200 years to get to where it is today, and each country has its peculiar challenges, as perfection is not achieved in one day.
“The Nigerian democracy is still evolving and I am happy about the development so far,” Turaki, a former Senator, said.
He also said he was in his home town of Kazaure to consult with his political associates on their political future.
The former governor said he had launched a “Saminiya movement’’ with the people he shared the same political ideology with before he joined any of the existing political parties.
NAN reports that Turaki had been off the political scene since the 2011 general elections when he lost his senatorial election.
The former governor had contested on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), but he had lost to the PDP candidate.(NAN)