Political Parties and Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria: the Fourth Republic Perspective
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objectives of the study are;
- To ascertain the extent to which democratic consolidation has enhanced democracy in Nigeria.
- To ascertain the level to which political parties are functioning towards the achievement of democratic consolidation in Nigeria, especially in the fourth republic.
- To adumbrate the role of political parties have aided democratic consolidation in Nigeria.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
The history of Nigeria’s party politics since the coming into force of the 1979 Constitution, and even before it, shows strong deficits in the practice of competitive party and electoral politics. The persistent and seemingly intractable deficits include:
(i) the personalization of politics, and the prevalence of the God-father syndrome;
(ii) the negative influence of money;
(iii) lack of internal democracy, especially the imposition of candidates; and (iv) election-related violent political conflict within and between political parties (Ibrahim, 2007; Ibrahim and Aturu, 2009: 34-46 cited in Jinadu, 2013: 5). The major parties in Nigeria have been near similar in composition, policy positions, manifestoes, ideological leanings and strategies (Omotola 2009:622-626). Consequently the parties are not organizational platforms for alternative views and programmes of governance and development but associations, factions, cliques, and networks for power and resource struggles, ‘Bereft of clear ideological identity and commitment, and issue based politics (Omotola 2009:612). The parties lacking in ideological content as a platform for action, identification, mobilization, legitimization and conflicts management (Nnoli 2003:181-183), the parties have turned to money, identity, patronage and violence. Beyond ideology and programmes, perhaps with a few exceptions, the performance of the parties in terms of organization, functions, operations and management has been dismally poor (Nwosu 2008:136). The parties are not democratic and popular organizations, as they have lacked basic liberal internal mechanisms, standardized rules and regulations for actual consultation and collective decision making. The parties being platforms for personal, sectional and patronage struggles and interests, have lacked a strong directive, controlling, disciplinary and unifying core that holds together (Omotola 2009:612). Whilst political parties are at the core of de-democratisation in Nigeria, evidence suggests that elections have been the weakest link in our quest for democracy in Nigeria (TMG, 2003; Anifowose and Babawale ed, 2004 cited in ikelegbe, 2013). This primarily arises from the fact that the agencies and groups that are recognised to facilitate, moderate and participate in the elections have not taken the vocation with the best ethical and professional commitment (Adetula, 2008 quoted in ikelegbe, 2013). The political parties became vehicles for dedemocratisation. They not only undermined and prejudiced the highly flawed party primaries but they also determined its outcome. Ever since, internal party democracy and the selection of candidates have become a highly vexed issue. These group of people all constituted one-third of delegates (Momoh, 2013:14). What they tend to do is to create channels for adversary relationships and facilitate a permanent opposition mentality. The nearest they appear to get to their conventional roles is to represent the democratic forms but not substance of promoting resolution of contending options.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to political parties and democratic consolidation in Nigeria: the fourth republic perspective
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
(i)Primary source and
(ii)Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information political parties and democratic consolidation in Nigeria: the fourth republic perspective. 200 members of PDP in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state was selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
DATA ANALYSIS
The data collected from the respondents were analyzed in tabular form with simple percentage for easy understanding.
A total of 133(one hundred and thirty three) questionnaires were distributed and 133 questionnaires were returned.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was on political parties and democratic consolidation in Nigeria “the fourth republic perspective”. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of political parties and democratic consolidation in Nigeria “the fourth republic perspective
Summary
This study was on political parties and democratic consolidation in Nigeria “the fourth republic perspective. Three objectives were raised which included: To ascertain the extent to which democratic consolidation has enhanced democracy in Nigeria, to ascertain the level to which political parties are functioning towards the achievement of democratic consolidation in Nigeria, especially in the fourth republic, to adumbrate the role of political parties have aided democratic consolidation in Nigeria. In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 members of PDP Uyo, Akwa Ibom state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made ward chairmen, ward secretaries, legal advisers and members were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
Since the beginning of the fourth Republic, the academics and the civil societies have paid serious attention to the practice of democracy in Nigeria and are much more concerned about its consolidation. It is observed in this paper that Nigeria’s democracy is shallow and has failed to take deep roots because political parties are deficient and have been unable to play their expected role in strengthening the foundation of democratic consolidation. Political parties in the Fourth Republic are functionally weak and institutionally frail owing to incessant party violence, lack of clearly articulated manifestoes, coherent and consistent programmes that reflect the overall expectations, desires, preferences and aspirations of the masses, which in turn have become listless, lethargic and apathetic. The party system in Nigeria is weak and vulnerable, its future remains precarious and endangered by politicians who through their whims and caprices have become greedy, selfish, dubious, thoughtless and irrational. Nigerian political parties have proven themselves to be undemocratic and anti democratic institutions. The political parties in Nigeria’s fourth republic are un-institutionalized as they revolve around some prominent and influential individuals instead of establishing themselves as strong institutions driven by values and ideologies. They are known for exclusion and non- inclusion, the political parties do not observe internal democracy as required. Decision making in almost all the political parties is bereft of transparency, accountability, consensus and consultation. All the political parties need to be re-organized on the principle of all inclusiveness rather than exclusion, Party officials’ needs to be trained to carry out their functions.
Recommendation
Critical attention needs to be paid to the political parties as institutions that play diverse but central roles in democratic consolidation. The parties need to be re-engineered from mere institutions for acquiring political power to effective institutions that are capable of structuring, mediating and reconciling societal interests and conflicts. This means that issues of organizational capacity, effective leadership, internal democracy, discipline, institutionalization and personalization, ideological platforms of mobilization and linkage to civil society and the masses have to be tackled. All political parties should practice internal democracy to make them strong, effective and efficient through consistent observance of principles of transparency, accountability, consultation and consensus building in policies and decision making.
References
- Abdu, H. (2002) “Political Party Formation and Electoral Process in Nigeria: Examining Some Contentious Issues in the Review of 1999 Constitution”, in Igbuzor, Otive and Bamidele, Ololade, eds., Contentious Issues in the Review of the 1999 Constitution. Lagos: Citizens Forum for Constitutional Reforms. Pp 93-118.
- Abdul-Jelil, A.G. (2009) ‘Godfatherism’ and Nigeria’s Fourth Republic: Violence and Political Insecurity in Ibadan Being the Proceedings of the 2009 Conference in Zaria of The French Institute for Research in Africa (IFRA Nigeria) in collaboration with the Institute for Development Research A.B.U., Zaria From the 16th to the 19th of November 2009.
- Abubakar A. A (1998) Text of the National Broadcast Abutudu, M. (2013) Political Parties and Elections in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, Being a paper presented at National Conference on Political Parties and the Future of Democracy in Nigeria, organized by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, in collaboration with the Democracy and Governance Development Project (DGD) II of UNDP, 26-28 June, 2013
- Adebajo, A. (2006) Prophets of Africa’s Renaissance: Nigeria and South Africa as Regional Hegemons, Lagos: Nigerian Institute of International Affairs
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