WRITTEN BY PETER NWASIKE
Nigeria is a big country that has many tribes, culture, religions and diverse interests.

The Constitution of Nigeria is therefore skewed to recognize “unity in diversity”. This constitutional magnanimity is also extended to formation of political parties, which makes way for multi-party system
This is in line with the practice in developed countries of Europe and America where Nigeria copied her modern civilization of education, religion, government and judiciary. For example, in Britain, they have the Conservative Party, The Labour Party, The Liberal Party, etcetera. In America, they have the Democratic Party, Republican Party, Socialist Party and others.
In Nigeria, the 1999 constitution recognizes multi-party system and so the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), registered over 50 political parties who are eligible to field candidates and contest elections. In this perspective, 37 different political parties fielded candidates and contested the Anambra Governorship Election of November 18, 2017.
Thus, Nigeria has a Federal Government and 36 States. It is therefore certain that there must be diverse political parties in diverse States. Obviously, the party that controls the centre, must not necessary control all the States, and so it calls for cordiality and unity in diversity. With this unity and understanding, a State Government of another party, can work in harmony with the Federal Government of another party.
This is because all genuine entitlements of the State are approved by the Constitution, and the Presidency is not for any particular person or section, but for all people of all sections and groups which demands for equity, justice, fairness and merit. So, those clamouring that voters must vote for the party at the centre are portraying ignorance of the constitution, and fundamental human rights of freedom of association and choice.
That is why Governor Willie Obiano must be applauded for paying a courtesy visit of gratitude to President Mohammadu Buhari for restraining his over-zealous party members to abuse their Federal might and rig the election, in the guise of bringing Anambra State into the “main stream of Nigeria’s politics”. President Buhari should also be hailed for being a true democrat who upholds the tenets of justice and equity, and one who accommodates the virtue of unity in diversity. He should continue to display this attitude in the proposed Anambra Central Senatorial election, fixed by INEC for January 13, 2018.
President Buhari’s magnanimity and accommodation shall equally help to curb the propensity of desperate politicians who gallivant from their original parties into the party at the centre, with the sinister motive of using the federal might to manipulate the election.
As Governor Obiano has initiated cordiality with President Buhari at the Federal Level, it is hoped that this mutual understanding, justice, equity, fairness, merit, shall continue to the mutual advantage of the State and Federal Governments.

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