The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Sly Ezeokenwa, has said politics should not be treated as a full-time career, stressing that professionals who remain active in their fields are more likely to promote accountable governance.
Ezeokenwa made the remark during a media interaction in Lagos where he explained the party’s philosophy and leadership approach.
According to him, APGA encourages its members and party officials to maintain professional engagements outside politics in order to discourage corruption and the monetisation of political processes.
He explained that the party’s ideology promotes productive engagement and discourages reliance on political offices as a primary source of livelihood.
Ezeokenwa said politics should not be treated as a business, adding that individuals in political positions should still build and maintain careers outside public office.
The APGA chairman noted that a lack of productive engagement could lead to negative practices such as selling party nomination tickets for money.
He added that despite his role as national chairman, he still practices law, noting that election petitions remain part of his professional responsibilities.
Speaking on debates surrounding Nigeria’s electoral laws, Ezeokenwa stated that legislation passed by the National Assembly is a collective decision of lawmakers rather than the responsibility of a single political party.
He explained that once a law is enacted by the National Assembly and assented to by the President, it becomes binding on all citizens regardless of individual political positions.
Ezeokenwa also addressed the controversies surrounding the electronic transmission of results during the 2023 presidential election.
According to him, many critics misunderstand the electoral process. He explained that electronic transmission introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was designed to improve transparency and allow the public to view results online.
He said presiding officers scan polling unit result sheets and upload them to the INEC Result Viewing Portal so Nigerians can access the results in real time.
The APGA chairman maintained that election outcomes are determined by the official result sheets from polling units and evidence presented before election tribunals.
He added that allegations of irregularities must be supported by alternative result sheets presented by party agents.
Ezeokenwa further clarified that electronic transmission of results should not be confused with the collation process, noting that while results may be uploaded online, the law still requires physical delivery of result sheets to collation officers.
He said the ongoing debate highlights the need for greater public understanding of Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of future elections, including the 2027 presidential poll.
