The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ralph Nwosu, discussed openly the difficulties of controlling party dynamics and the impact of money on political alliance formation during an interview with Trust TV.
Nwosu disclosed that factions can emerge inside a party with more than three million registered members, disrupting the collective decision-making process, due to individual desires. He went on to say that powerful people might use these groups to further their own interests, frequently at the cost of party cohesion and participation from the general public.
With over 3.1 million registered members and many more, one individual has become a faction within a much larger group. More than fifteen million members will have joined by the end of the month, with each individual also serving as a faction. Look at what money can accomplish! This is the kind of money that has been doled out to one state governor, Nwosu claimed; if the person had desired N100 billion or N200 billion, I would have obtained it.
He stressed that this incident exemplifies a deeper issue in Nigerian politics, where money and connections can trump honesty and hard work. Nwosu claims that this type of intervention endangers party unity and could weaken the party’s capacity to rally its members and run a united campaign in the elections.
As an individual, Nwosu considered how difficult it was to deal with these demands without compromising his ideals or letting his guard down. He said that he had made the conscious decision to reject the temptation of vast quantities of money and the prospect of simpler routes to establishing coalitions. He said he had to be nimble on his feet and brave to stand up to influential people who were trying to take over party institutions; it was a delicate balancing act.