From Charles Adegbite, Ado Ekiti
Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, has called for the re-introduction of two-party system in Nigeria. Atiku made the call while fielding questions from journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Friday when he paid a courtesy call on Governor Kayode Fayemi in his office.He said it was not good for the nation’s democracy for one party to be too big and strong while others are weak and small.According to him, the recent merger of the defunct new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) with the All Progressives Congress (APC) was a welcome development and a sign of growing democracy.According to him “I welcome the merger. It is good for our democracy. I have always supported two-party system. “He also observed that the nation was gradually moving towards true and stronger democracy. He said “We are eventually moving towards two-party system. In this country, we need two strong parties not one big party with other very small ones. In that
case, we would not have true democracy.”“I belong to democracy. Even during military rule, I stood and fought for democracy. I never got appointment or served under military government. I am a true democrat and I still stand for democracy”, he added.Fayemi, who commended the initiative of the former Vice-President in the drive towards national development, said, “the former President deemed it necessary to pay us a visit in Ekiti, we stand for anything that can deepen democracy in this country. You will find the former VP standing on the side of democracy. There is no doubt that he has consistently stood with the people. He believes in this country. Anyone who is a democrat is my friend”.