Natasha Urges Political Parties To Define Ideologies, Strengthen Structures

The Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has decried the lack of ideological clarity among Nigeria’s political parties, warning that the trend is weakening the country’s democracy.

Speaking during a programme on AIT, on Sunday, the lawmaker said most parties have been reduced to platforms for contesting elections rather than institutions grounded in values and long-term vision.

“Today, who is an APC member? Who is a PDP member? Who is a Labour Party member? It’s hard to say because there is no clear party philosophy,” she said.

Senator Natasha noted that the absence of ideological direction has encouraged politicians to defect freely from one party to another based on personal interests.

“People just jump from one party to another depending on their personal interests. It shouldn’t be so,” she lamented.

She urged party leaders across the country to revisit their foundational principles and build sustainable party structures at both the grassroots and national levels.

“As we continue building our party structures locally and nationally, I pray that we define our party’s philosophy. When that happens, people will no longer decamp at the slightest frustration,” she added.

Using her own political experience as a case study, Natasha acknowledged that personal influence often overshadows party strength, especially at the grassroots.

“Today, I am probably larger than the party in Kogi Central. That shouldn’t be the case. A party should be stronger than any individual,” she stated.

She stressed the importance of making political identity meaningful, saying that citizens should be able to understand a politician’s values simply by their party affiliation.

“If someone says they are PDP, APC, or Labour, it should immediately tell you what they stand for, what kind of development they will bring if elected,” she said.

Natasha also addressed remarks by a community leader, Alhaji Badamasi, who described her as “the face of political leadership” in Kogi Central.

“That means if I move to Zenith Party today, people in Kogi Central will follow. But that’s not how it should be,” she responded.

The senator reiterated that for democracy to thrive in Nigeria, political parties must define their values and let those values reflect in their policies and programmes.

“I pray we get to a point where every political party is known for its beliefs, and those beliefs are seen in the lives of Nigerians,” she said.