ABSTRACT
This
study explores the role of political parties in
consolidation of democracy in Nigeria. This study was
guided by the following objectives; To examine the role
of PDP and APC in the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria, To determine the
factors limiting the political parties in the consolidation of democracy in
Nigeria, To examine the effect of political parties politics and internal
democracy of the democratic process in Nigeria.
The
study employed the descriptive design; questionnaires in addition to library
research were applied in order to collect data. Primary and secondary data
sources were used and data was analyzed using the Pearson correlation
statistical tool at 5% level of significance which was presented in frequency
tables and percentage. The respondents under the study were 100 citizen of Nigeria.
The study findings revealed that that even though the
political parties are trying their best, they still needs to do more to ensure
the consolidation of Nigeria democracy. This research will be a contribution to
the body of literature in the area of the political parties activities and the
consolidation of democracy in Nigeria, thereby constituting the empirical
literature for future research in the subject area.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Title Page - - - - - - - - - i
Approval Page - - - - - - - - ii
Declaration - - - - - - - - iii
Dedication - - - - - - - - - iv
Acknowledgement - - - - - - - v
Abstract - - - - - - - - - vi
Table of Contents - - - - - - - vii
CHAPTER
ONE – INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study - - - - -
1.2 Statement of General Problem - - - -
1.3 Objective of the Study - - - - - -
1.4 Research Questions - - - - - -
1.5 Hypothesis
- - -
- - -
- - -
1.6 Significance of the Study - - - - -
1.7 Scope of the Study - - - - - -
1.8 Definition of Terms - - - - - -
CHAPTER
TWO – REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1
Theoretical Framework- - - - - - - -
2.1.1 Elite theory- - - - - - - - -
-
2.2 Conceptual Framework- - - - - - - -
2.2.1 Democracy- - - - - - - - -
-
2.2.2 Political party- - - - - - - - -
-
2.2.3 Relationship
between political parties and democracy
- - - - - - - - - -
- -
2.2.4 Activities of Nigeria political parties
since 1999- - -
2.2.5 Concept
of political party and democratic consolidation
2.3 Review of Related Literature- - - - - - -
2.4 Summary- - - - - - - - - -
CHAPTER
THREE – RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction - - - - - - - - -
3.2 Research Design - - - - - - - -
3.3 Area of the Study - - - - - - - -
3.4 Population of Study - - - - - - - -
3.5 Sample size and Sampling Techniques - - - - -
3.6 Instrument for Data Collection - - - - - -
3.7 Validity of the Instrument - - - - - - -
3.8 Reliability of the Instrument - - - - - -
3.9 Method of Data Collection - - - - - - -
3.10 Method of Data Analysis - - - - - - -
CHAPTER
FOUR – DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.0 Introduction - - - - - - - - -
4.1 Data Presentation and Analysis - - - - - -
4.2 Characteristics of the Respondents - - - - -
4.3 Data
Analysis - - - - - - - - -
4.4 Testing Hypothesis - - - - - - - -
4.5 Summary
of Findings - - - - - - - -
4.6 Discussion of Findings - - - - - - -
CHAPTER
FIVE – SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.0 Introduction - - - - - - - - -
5.1 Summary - - - - - - - - - -
5.2 Conclusion - - - - - - - - - -
5.3 Recommendations - - - - - - - -
References
- - - - - - - - - -
Appendix - - - - - - - - - -
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Presently,
the call for freedom and democracy echoes across the globe. The world has
witnessed phenomenal shift from authoritarian style of governance to democratic
rule. The fact still remain that state is no longer interested in interacting
with other state where democracy is not practiced. It then follows that any
country desirous of relevance within the world system must be seen as democratic
compliance (Omotola, 2008). African states are not left out in this
development. Though, argument in some literature shows that the reasons for
supporting democracy in Africa, specifically Nigeria, do not mirror Western
perception. Thus, African looks more at democracy in economic terms than political
ideology (Saliu, 1999). The global recognition of democracy eventually paved
way for the re-birth of democratic government in Nigeria on May 29, 1999. The
struggle for democratic government in Nigeria during military era is almost the
same as anti-colonial struggle. This is because both the promoter and supporter
of democracy in Nigeria are highly committed and dedicated before the
transition comes to reality. In the process of achieving it, many of them lost
their life, some were even detained while those who escaped the two gone on
exile (Saliu, 2004). Now that democracy becomes Nigerian “Public good”,
credible institutions are required to defend the system. It is in this context
that democratic consolidation and sustainability become imperative. Thus,
democracy requires among others the supportive structures, such as political
parties. These Political Parties will serve as mediating institutions through
which differences in ideas, interests and perceptions of political problems at
a given time can be managed (Omotola, 2008). The fact still remain that “the
strength and effectiveness of Political Parties is directly proportional to the
degree of resilience democracy enjoy” (Mimiko, 2007). It is against this
background that this study is concerned with the role of political parties in
consolidation of democracy in Nigeria and the extent of party’s contribution to
the survival and consolidation of democracy in Nigeria with special focus on
PDP and APC. Nigeria has a multi-party system, with two or three strong parties
and a third party that is electorally successful. PDP and APC remains the
strongest parties in Nigeria in the opinion of the researcher.
The
All Progressives Congress (APC) is a political party in Nigeria, formed on 6
February 2013 in anticipation of the 2015 elections. APC candidate Muhammadu
Buhari won the presidential election by almost 2.6 million votes. Incumbent
President Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat on 31 March. This was the first
time in Nigeria's political history that an opposition political party unseated
a governing party in a general election and one in which power transferred
peacefully from one political party to another. In addition, the APC won the majority
of seats in the Senate and the House of Representatives in the 2015 elections,
though it fell shy of winning a super-majority to override the ability of the
opposition People's Democratic Party to block legislation. The party is the
result of an alliance of Nigeria's three biggest opposition parties – the
Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC),
the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) – and a faction of the All Progressives
Grand Alliance (APGA) – merged to take on the People's Democratic Party. The
party received approval from the nation's electoral umpire Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) on 31 July 2013 to become a political party and
subsequently withdrew the operating licenses of the three predecessor parties
(the ACN, CPC and ANPP). In March 2013
The
People's Democratic Party is a major contemporary political party in Nigeria.
Its policies generally lie towards the centre-right of the political spectrum.
It won every Presidential election between 1999 and 2011, and was until the
2015 elections, the governing party in the Fourth Republic although in some
cases, amid a few controversial electoral circumstances. The longtime slogan of
the People's Democratic Party has been "Power to the people". During the
party's National Convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on 21 May 2016,
David Mark, a former President of the Senate of Nigeria, introduced
"Change the change" as the party's campaign slogan for the 2019
general elections. However, this study is examining the role of both PDP and
APC in the consolidation of Nigeria Democracy.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Mainstream
rhetoric in Nigeria and popular discourses of the polity is often centred on
the claim that Nigeria is “consolidating its democracy”. The evidence on the
ground, however, contradicts this claim (Momoh, 2013). It is perhaps most
appropriate to liken the relationship between political parties and the
sustenance of democratic rule in a particular society to that which exists
between the umbilical cord and the foetus (Yagboyaju, 2012). Political parties are
at the heart of examining the health of any form of democracy (Orji, 2013), for
example, maintains that ‘to talk, today, about democracy, is to talk about a
system of competitive political parties. Their roles and activities are
critical in any assessment of democratic practice (Momoh, 2013). Political
parties had the mandate to produce the right calibre of people to govern
(Momoh, 2013). Competitive party and electoral politics is expected to deepen
and consolidate the democratic transition, which the country embarked upon in
May 1999 (Jinadu, 2013). Though, there has been successful transition and
switching of power from one ruling party to the opposition party but the system
is stilled marred with electoral violence, corruption and inability to deliver
on the electioneering campaign promises which has led to massive
underdevelopment of every sector in the country. This has made the researcher
to deem it fit to examine the roles of the two strongest political parties in
Nigeria on the consolidation of democracy.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The
following are the objectives of this study:
1. To
examine the role of PDP and APC in the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria.
2. To
determine the factors limiting the political parties in the consolidation of
democracy in Nigeria.
3. To
examine the effect of political parties politics and internal democracy of the
democratic process in Nigeria.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What
is the role of PDP and APC in the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria?
2. What
are the factors limiting the political parties in the consolidation of
democracy in Nigeria?
3. What
is the effect of political party politics and internal democracy of the
democratic process in Nigeria?
1.5 HYPOTHESIS
HO:
There is no significant relationship between the activities of the political
parties and the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria.
HA:
There is significant relationship between the activities of the political
parties and the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
following are the significance of this study:
1. The
results of this study will be useful for policy formulation by the government
as it define the role of political parties in consolidation of Nigeria
democracy. It will also educate the general public on the subject matter. It
will also form as guide for political parties in developing manifestoes that
will enhance the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria.
2. This
research will be a contribution to the body of literature in the area of the
political parties activities and the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria,
thereby constituting the empirical literature for future research in the
subject area
1.7 SCOPE/LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This
study is limited to PDP and APC. The study will also covers the activities of
PDP and APC towards the consolidation of democracy.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Democracy:
a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a
state, typically through elected representatives.
Politics:
the activities associated with the governance of a country or other area,
especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping
to achieve power.
Consolidation:
to become, or cause something to become, stronger, united and more certain