POLITICAL watchers in the country believe that the multi-party system of democracy has helped to bring out the good, the bad and the ugly in some political parties and the beauty of democracy in other political parties. While some would really blame the leadership of certain political parties for the display of many undemocratic tendencies in the political processes and actions, it is clear that the autocratic tendencies of some party leaders in the country have contributed to the negative public image of some of these political parties.

Many party leaders have been reported to impose election candidates on the party in total disregard for the wishes of the members, thereby injuring their feelings, aspirations and ambition, preventing those politicians with lofty dreams for the development of the country from materialising their goals.Thus, out of frustration and disappointment, many of these politicians that had been bullied and shoved aside defected to other political parties in an attempt to realise their political ambition.

 Reports also had it that many of the politicians had resorted to violence to express their frustration, thereby arming youths to foment trouble and heating up the polity unnecessarily. Many political watchers also believe that imposition of candidates had encouraged corruption in the country, as the politicians so imposed, if elected into office, would owe the people no responsibility to deliver democracy dividends since they did not come through a genuine political process that included the people.

As a result, politicians that so emerged through imposition of candidates would only their benefactors , thus denying majority of the electorate their deserved democratic dividends. A school of thought in Nigerian politics however believes that party politics under the presidential system of government operated in Nigeria is really a family affair.

These analysts say the process is used to prepare for  election in the spirit of give and take, culminating in consensus candidacy. One of the proponents of consensus candidacy in the presidential system of government in Nigeria is Senator Bukola Saraki, representing the Kwara Central Senatorial District of Kwara State. Speaking after the successful conduct of the PDP Kwara State congress at the Adewole Base Ball Park in Ilorin at the weekend, Senator Saraki, who is the leader of the party in the state, said party politics under the presidential system operated in Nigeria is really a family affair.

"What we've been able to show here today in Ilorin, Kwara State, is how party politics should be played. Party politics under the presidential system which we operate is really a family affair. You use the party politics and process to prepare for the general election. It is in a situation where there is equity, fairness, honesty and sincerity that there will be consensus. It is in that spirit that we all believe that whatever is due to one will come to one. It is in that spirit of give and take that we've been able to achieve what we've achieved this afternoon," he said.

He said it was through the consensus candidacy which had been enshrined in the body politics in the state that the state had remained peaceful, adding that almost all PDP candidates in the state, including the governor, emerged through consensus. Saraki, who is the immediate past governor of Kwara State, while congratulating all party members from every ward and local governments who he said had made sacrifices through the process of consensus, disclosed that many of them had forsaken their positions in the interest of the oneness of the party.He said before the leadership of the PDP in the state arrived at each consensus candidate for the congress election, they had started with about 10 people, pruned the number down to five,  three, two , and then the final candidate.

The senator admonished members of the opposition in the state to join the PDP, just as he congratulated Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed on his victory at the Supreme Court, which he said had put a final affirmation on the wish of the people of Kwara State."For those who did not want to accept the wish of the people, thinking some miracle will come from the judiciary, it is time for you to also accept the wish of the people and see that Kwara is PDP and PDP is Kwara. It is time for you to come in and walk through the doors of the PDP because here in Kwara state, there is only one party that has been transforming and will continue to transform the state and the people of Kwara State and that is the PDP,", he said.

Saraki also assured the people of the state that he has the commitment of Governor Ahmed that no community will be left behind in terms of development. The senator, who said Governor Ahmed was committed to spreading development to all parts of the state, added that everybody who had laboured for the success of the party would benefit without leaving anyone out.The leader of the PDP in the state, who challenged the new party executives to win all local governments in next year's council election, added that they should start working towards returning the only local government that was not in the PDP to the fold.

"In politics, the performance of the party leadership is based on election result. The leadership of the PDP in Kwara has performed. You won all the seats for the National Assembly, you won almost all seats at the state House of Assembly and you delivered the governor of the state. Your performance has earned the majority of you an unanimous return as party executives. As we move ahead, we have the local government election ahead and I want the executive and the party to start work to bring back the remaining one finger back to the fold. So, the mandate of the new executive is to actualise that and make it 100 per cent", he said.

Saraki advised people, especially  the youth in the state, not to be deceived by the propaganda of the opposition, adding that they should remain focused and continue to support the governor, who he said was performing to admiration of all."Don't let anyone deceive you by saying that they are coming to make any change or they are change agents in Kwara State. Tell them to make the change in those states they already have first. Until they change those states, they should stay there and concentrate their efforts on changing those states", he said.

The party congress that saw 781delegates out 786 of the PDP from all the 16 LGAs in Kwara state re-electing the leadership of the party in the state by affirmative election, was achieved in a free and peaceful atmosphere.The delegates of the party stormed the venue of the congress at Adewole Baseball Park, Ilorin as early as 8 00 a.m.The candidates for the election were all consensus candidates as only one name appeared for each post in the contest and were thus affirmed by the 781delegates in attendance.

Speaking at the event, the leader of the five-man congress team from the party's national headquarters in Abuja, Mr. J.J. Mabo, said the team had no other option than to affirm the candidates considering the understanding and unity among members of the party before the election.He commended the leadership of the party in the state for encouraging a culture of unity and transparency, adding that the culture was the beauty of democracy.  High point of the event was that delegates affirmed all the contestants for the various elective offices of the party including the ex-officio members of the party in the state.

Also speaking at the event, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said Kwara State is one of the most peaceful states in the country, promising to sustain the peace in the party in the state.The governor said the principle of consensus laid down by leaders of the party had made the PDP stronger and united in the state.  He also said that he would  take advantage of the success of the Supreme Court judgment to transform the state, promising those who had not been given political offices that they too would benefit.