Senator Ayo Arise calls for political party reforms in Nigeria

Former Senator Ayo Arise has called for urgent reforms to Nigeria’s political parties, warning that the country’s democracy is at risk if parties fail to practice democracy within their own ranks. Speaking at the 2026 Annual Lecture organized by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ado-Ekiti, Arise emphasized that the quality of democracy depends on the quality of candidates produced by political parties.

Arise identified several challenges to internal democracy, including godfatherism, money politics, weak party institutions, lack of transparency, and political defections. He argued that party primaries are often manipulated by powerful individuals and stressed that parties should not be the personal property of influential figures. Instead, he advocated for systems that allow competent young people, women, and professionals to participate regardless of their financial resources.

Regarding the role of the media, Arise urged journalists to hold public officials accountable and educate citizens on democratic values. He noted that while the media should question those in power, it should also provide commendations where necessary for national development. Furthermore, he stated that good governance should be measured by tangible impacts on citizens, such as access to education, healthcare, security, infrastructure, and affordable food.