Ganduje seeks synergy among Africa’s ruling parties to deepen democracy
The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has made a case for ruling political parties in Africa to synergise and evolve a peer review mechanism to strengthen democracy in the continent.
He made this call during a courtesy visit to his Ghanaian counterpart, Mr Stephen Ayesu Ntim at the National headquarters of Ghana’s ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Accra.
A statement by Ganduje’s Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu from Accra on Friday, explained that the APC Chairman also stressed the need for parties in Africa to understudy themselves to bolster internal democracy and to improve the lot of the impoverished Africans, yearning for good governance.
Ganduje further advocated for parties in Africa to monitor elections in sister countries whenever an election is going to take place in such countries.
According to him: “We can learn from each other to improve our democracy, just like we used to have foreign observers monitoring our elections we can develop a template among ourselves so that political parties can equally visit other African countries to see how elections are been conducted. I think this will help us in nurturing our democracy.”
Ganduje, who was in Accra in reciprocation of the visit of the leader of the NPP to Nigeria in late 2023, said APC under his leadership is committed to institutionalising its relationship with Ghana’s NPP.
He noted that both countries shared similar historical experiences and as such the need for the two powerful West African countries to work together.
“Today history is being made and repeated, the relationship between the two countries is that of a brotherhood. We want to institutionalise the relationship between the two ruling parties. I want to thank our forefathers for their struggle for independence that has today given birth to our democracy.
“I also want to use this opportunity to call on all parties across Africa especially the ruling parties to entrench internal democracy. Because as a ruling party, our first problem is lack of internal democracy due to contending interest in the ruling party.”
NPP National Chairman Ntim thanked his Nigerian counterpart and his entourage for the reciprocal visit, urging both parties to sustain the moment.
Also, during the parley at the National headquarters of the NPP the Chairman of the Council of Elders, Hackman Owusu Agyeman, spoke on the need to end conflicts and insecurity in some parts of Africa, especially in Nigeria.
The Majority Leader of the Parliament Hon. Afenyo Markins harped on the need to sustain African values and traditions.
Ganduje was accompanied to Accra by the Deputy National Chairman South Hon. Emma Eneukwu; Deputy National Secretary, Festus Fuanter; National Legal Adviser, Prof Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana; Chief of Staff, Malam Muhammad Garba; Senior Special Assistant Visual Communications, Aminu Dahiru and Senior Special Assistant Women Mobilisation, Ngozi Ononiwu.
