PARTY SYSTEM AND POLITICAL PARTIES AS THREATS TO DEMOCRACY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA'S FOURTH REPUBLIC

Abstract

This paper examines the Nigerian party system with particular focus on the place of political parties in the democratic process of the fourth republic. Using data collected from both primary and secondary sources the paper argues that instead of strengthening the democratic experience, the party system in Nigeria with the several political parties in the political fray have rather constituted a threat to the smooth running of government and the entire democratic system. At once implicit and explicit, there are too many un-functioning and ineffective political parties in Nigeria; so also there are no clear ideological differences in the numerous political parties, that is even if there exist any fundamental ideology in any of the present Nigerian political parties at all. Perhaps more worrisome is the pattern or trend of Party formation in Nigeria; which has been designed and characterized by alliance and reliance of politicians with no other intensions in mind than to look for avenue to remain politically relevant by either cross-carpeting to another party or coalescing into a new party. The paper concludes that there is the need to redesign the party system and streamline the numbers of political parties through institutional mechanisms in order to sustain the Nigerian democracy. Of Particular and immediate imperative, the paper recommends, a strong and virile opposition party in Nigeria that has the strength and structure to effectively compete for political power for smooth successive civilian to civilian democratic governance in Nigeria.