Internal party democracy and party institutionalization in Nigeria: implication for democratic consolidation-1999-2015 (original) (raw)
Related papers
Internal Party Democracy and the Imperative of Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic
The Nigerian Journal of Sociology and Anthropology
Parties are regarded as sine qua non for the organization of modern democracies, as well as for democratic consolidation. The literature that explains Nigeria’s democracy since 1999 depicts infractions and instability in party politics. It is in this context that this paper maintains that the major threat to democratic consolidation in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic is the absent of Internal Party Democracy (IPD). The inability of political parties to manage their internal fuss usually results in cases of defections, which portends negative consequences for democratic consolidation in Nigeria. The paper explains and provides some internal governing structures for political parties as offered by Simba. Consequently, the study historically gave an illustration of political parties in the previous republics by showing how they were bereft of internal party democracy. The paper finally calls for an urgent alternative to this kind of party politics, while the current practice should be jettis...
Peoples Democratic Party and democratic consolidation in Nigeria, 1999-2015
This study investigated the nexus between political parties and democratic consolidation in Nigeria with emphasis on Peoples Democratic Party from 1999-2015. Political scholars and analysts have identified a number of benefits associated with political parties. In spite of all the benefits of political parties in instituting democracy and fostering democratic culture in a state, this paper argues that in Nigeria, the party system functions differently and undermines democracy in a number of ways. Thus, our study was guided by the following research questions: Does lack of internal conflict resolution mechanisms in the PDP undermine democratic consolidation in Nigeria? Secondly, does the absence of rule of law in the implementation of PDP constitution impede democratic consolidation? To empirically interrogate these questions, the study was anchored on the documentary method of data collection while content was used analyse the mass data generated.Using the Marxist theory of post-colonial state as a framework of analysis, the study revealed that the corrupt, authoritarian, absolute, arbitrary, exploitative, rent-seeking, prebendal, predatory comprador and neo-patrimonial character of the ruling class undermines democratic consolidation in Nigeria. To turn around and avoid the future occurrence of these dastardly acts, this paper makes robust recommendation that PDP should explore internal conflict resolution mechanisms in resolving its crisis, the party’s constitution should be held sacred and it should dictate and guide the party’s activities.
Effects of Internal democracy of APC on Nigeria's democratic consolidation , 2017
The internal politics of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has held democracy in Nigeria on the jugular. This study, effects of internal party democracy of the APC on Nigeria's democratic consolidation focused on how the ruling party since capturing of state power, has been able to consolidate democracy in Nigeria. Without doubt, democratic practice in Nigeria since the inception of the Fourth Republic (1999-date) has remained unstable, most often due to lack of internal party democracy, use of thugs during elections, disobedience to court rulings and method of candidate selection for elections by political parties. This study critically examined the activities of the APC and the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria. It employed qualitative methods of data collection, analysis and interpretation of data from documentary evidence of secondary sources. The Marxian theory of post-colonial state was adopted; to argue, that the method of candidate selection in the APC to large extent, shows a lack of internal party democracy, and the APC-led government seems to be moving towards a fascist party owing to its constant disobedience to court rulings. The article concludes with some recommendations based on the analysis that the party should pay more attention to the selection of candidates for elections as well as go back to the drawing board to establish a leadership command structure as well as spell out disciplinary actions against erring members.. 2
Political Parties and Democratic Consolidation: The Nigerian Experience
This paper examines the roles of political parties in democracy and democratization, with focus on how the existing political parties have assisted in democratic consolidation in Nigeria since 1999. Political parties are the engine room of democratic societies and without them, there will be no genuine democracy. Hence, Schattchneider (1942), revealed the importance of political parties when he stated that " modern democracy is unthinkable save in terms of political parties ". Indeed, the existence of vibrant political parties is a sine qua non for democratic consolidation. Therefore, it is not just the existence of political parties themselves per se, but the existence of vibrant ones in the polity. The degree of democratic consolidation in a country depends largely on the character and conduct of the country's political parties. The paper adopts Schedler's democratic consolidation theory and Arthur Fisher Bentley's group theory as tools of analysis, while also accessing data through the review of relevant literature: books, journals, magazines, articles, newspapers, and the internet. Data gathered are analyzed via content analysis. The paper observes among others, that Nigerian political parties, which have grown from a mere two in the 3 rd Republic to forty registered parties today, have not scored high in terms of democratic consolidation when placed side by side other countries heading towards stable democracy. This, is observed, is often due to factors such as; opposition parties are rarely alive to perform their political responsibilities, most of them are only but fragile entities, hence have only developed shallow roots in the society. Furthermore, incessant fragmentation/division within the ruling parties and opposition parties, the un-institutionalized nature of most political parties in Nigeria, to mention a few, pose a major drawback to democratic consolidation. Finally, the paper suggests among others that an overhaul of Nigerian political parties is inevitable.
Party Politics and the Challenges of Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria
The study examined the factors that determined the emergence of party's candidates and the impacts of party's lack of internal democracy on democratic consolidation in Nigeria. These were with a view to examining party politics and the challenge of democratic consolidation in Nigeria. This area of political process has be a clog on the wheel of democratic consolidation in Nigeria since independence, 1960. Most research studies emphasize theories of democracy and political party and with little attention on party politics (intra-politics) and vis-à-vis democratic consolidation in Nigeria. However, the findings of the study showed that 95% of respondents agreed that money and class were the major factors that undermined or determined the position of candidates in Nigerian election, while 90% of respondents also agreed that the power of incumbency and godfatherism greatly determined the emergence of party's candidates. Almost 90% of respondents agreed that tribalism, ethnicity, nepotism and sectionalism were major factors that have caused party's lack of internal democracy in Nigeria. The study concluded that party politics in the area of nomination, selection and elections have negative implications on democratic consolidation in Nigeria. Among other things, the study also concluded that lack of internal democracy within political parties as a limiting factor in Nigeria's attempt to deepen democracy.
AN ASSESSMENT OF POLITICAL PARTIES AND DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION IN NIGERIA'S FOURTH REPUBLIC
Democratic values and practices are crucial for democratic institutionalization and the development of party strength. However, the history of Nigeria's democratic experiments demonstrates that elections and electoral politics have generated so much animosity which has, in some cases, threatened the corporate existence of the country. In this essay, the critical nature of Nigerian political parties in the Fourth Republic will be explored to ascertain their contributions to the achievement of democratic consolidation in the country. Based on empirical evidence gathered from the activities of political parties of this dispensation, the essay attempts to provide answers to questions like: what specific contributions have political parties in Nigeria made towards the achievement of a lasting democracy? Is democratic competition (a major tenet of democratic consolidation) at play in Nigeria? What factors must be injected into the current practice to make it a system that will engender a permanent, stable democratic order for the Nigerian State?
Democratization "Without Political Parties": The Nigerian Example
African Journal of Governance and Development , 2020
Political parties are globally recognized as agents of democratization. Against this background, this paper interrogates the centrality of political parties in Nigeria's democratization process. Focusing on the country's fourth republic that began in 1999, the roles of political parties in the transition from one government to another within the period under review were appraised. Through content analysis of data obtained from secondary sources and observation, the paper analyzed how political parties have distorted democratic consolidation in Nigeria. It is argued that given their nature, character and activities, the recognized and registered political platforms for contesting elections in the country could hardly be described as political parties in the real sense of the word. This is attributed to the challenges associated with the constitutional provisions for evolving political parties and antics of the ruling class in the country, thus, providing a premise for the emergence of these political associations and boost their activities. Furthermore, we analyzed attempts at addressing these challenges and why they appear to be intractable. In conclusion, the paper suggests that unless the relevant constitutional provisions are improved to promote the formation of political parties (in the real sense of the word), democratic consolidation may remain an illusion as the country experiences transition from one government to another.
POLITICAL PARTIES AND ELECTIONS AS FRAMEWORKS FOR DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION IN NIGERIA: AN ASSESSMENT
Political Parties and Elections as Frameworks for Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria: An Assessment., 2018
Political parties and elections are very integral parts of democracy, especially the western form that is being practiced in Nigeria. They form the platforms through which the citizens are made to actively participate in the affairs of the state. This worldwide trend known as democratization has made the issue of election a crucial political imperative. This study examines the relationship between politicians and challenges of conducting free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria with particular reference to the recent elections that were held in the country. The elite theory as put forward by Pareto, Michel and Mosca was adopted for empirical appraisal since the formation of political parties and electoral conducts are purely the dictates of the elites in Nigeria. Materials for the paper were majorly sourced through secondary means. The study shows that the manipulations, subjugations and alterations being witnessed in the country's political system are serious threats to her democratic journey. Democratic ethos must begin within the individual political party in Nigeria before it can translate into the country's national elections. The conclusion of the study is that both political party and elections are frameworks that have the capacity to consolidate or crucify the any nation's democracy depending on their operationality. Part of the recommendations of the study is that the ethos of democracy must be adhered to at both party and general elections. More so, the media should be unbiased in the coverage of elections and party affairs, and there is need to ensure that people of chaste characters are appointed to manage the country's electoral system.
POLITICAL PARTIES AND CONSOLIDATION OF DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA
Elite Project Writers, 2021
The problems of political parties in the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria has been of serious concern. In the course of carrying out the research some fundamental objectives were examined, such as: The role effectiveness of political parties in Nigeria, impacts of political parties in consolidating Nigeria democratic system and ways political parties can consolidate the democratic system. From the following, the study used primary and secondary sources of data collection and simple percentage was used for data analysis. Furthermore, the findings revealed that political parties are seriously engaged in political recruitment, political education, and interest aggregation for the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria amongst others. Finally, the study recommended amongst others: that electoral violence should be avoided as it is against the norms and values of Nigeria democratic system. Keywords: Political Parties, Consolidation and Democracy