1YUSUFU Ahmed Audu, 2OGAJI Tijani Adamu & 3 IDREES Mahmud Gana
1,2 &3 Department of Political Science
Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State
Corresponding Author’s E-Mail:aauduyusuf@gmail.com
Abstract
This paper examined the politics of party defection in Nigeria’s fourth republic from 1999 to 2022 and its implications on democratic consolidation in the country. To achieve this broad objective, the paper employed secondary method of data collection and analysis, which entails collecting data from books, journals and web-based materials among others. Theoretically, the paper adopted the eclectic approach anchored on Elite Theory and Rational Choice theory. The paper posits that the rate at which Nigerian politicians defect from one party to another makes mockery of the country’s democracy, negates the values of opposition parties in a democratic system, invalidates opposing views and reduces the efficacy of alternative democratic choices. The results of this analytical discourse reveal factors ranging from lack of party ideology, economic interest, lack of internal democracy, constitutional vagueness to fear of persecution as responsible for incessant party defections in party politics in Nigeria in recent years. The paper concludes that the incidences of party defection in Nigerian party politics if not checked, could move the country into a political system without viable opposition to serve as watchdog to the ruling party. The paper therefore recommends among others that political parties in Nigeria should be grounded in and founded on strong political ideology as practiced in developed countries of Europe and America to avoid frequent defections by politicians from one political party to another at any slightest provocation.
References
Agan, A, Adzaigba, T &Vihimga, T. l (2020). The 2019 General elections and the politics of party defection: Implications on democratic consolidation. Nigerian Journal of Administrative and Political Studies, 5 (1), 129-142
Aina, A. D. (2002). Party politics in Nigeria underObasanjo administration.Monograph Series,Department of Political Science and Sociology,Babcock University, Nigeria.
Aleyomi, M. (2013). Election and politics of party defection in Nigeria: A clue from Kogi State. Covenant University Journal of Politics and International Affairs (CUJPIA), 1(1), 72-84.
Ali, M. A, & Mohammed, I. S. (2019). Politics of inter-party defections in Nigeria: Whose interest? African Journal of Management, 3(2), 114-135.
Badejo, B. T. &Obah-Akpowoghaha, N. G. (2015). The impact of cross-carpeting and multiplicity of political parties in Nigerian democratic process.Journal of African Studies and Development,7 (8), 215-230
Baiyewu L. (2012), Defections and the survival of democracy”. www.punchng.com/politics/defections-and-the-survival-ofa-democracy/
Barnes, S. (2018). Defections, decamping and cross-carpeting: The challenges facing Nigerian political parties ahead of the 2019 General Elections. International Republican Institute.www.democracyspeas.org/
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended)
Domingo, P. &Nwankwo, C. (2010), Review of International Assistance to Political Parties and Party System Development: Case Study Report: Nigeria. London: Overseas Development Institute.
Downs, A. (1957). An Economic Theory of Democracy. New York: Harpar and Brothers
.
Dunleavy, P (1991).Democracy, Bureaucracy and Public Choice: Economic Models in Political Science. London: Pearson Books
Edet, L. I (2017). Politics of defection and its implication on Nigeria’s democracy. Global Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 17 (1); 1-14.
Fayemi, K. (2012). Democratic consolidation in Nigeria: Looking between the mirage and the mirror. Paper presented at the Center for Democracy and Development. http//www.slideshare.net/kayodefayemi/democraticconsolidation in Nigeria looking between-the-mirage-and-the-mir
Fuuyama, F. (1992). The End of History and the Last Man. England: Penguin Books.
George-Genyi, E.M, (2009).Political parties, elite and democratic consolidation in Nigeria: An insight into the Fourth Republic. In Edoh, T &Wuam, T (Eds.), Democracy, Leadership and Accountability in PostColonial Africa. Makurdi: Aboki Publishers.
Godwin, U. I. (2015). Political nomadism and its implications on political development in Nigeria: A critical analysis. International Journal of African and Asian Studies, 9 (1), 75-86.
Inyang, I. (2019, January 18). Once you join APC, all your sins are forgiven. Daily Posthttps://dailypost.ng/2019/01/18/join-apcsins-forgiven-oshiomhole
Jiddere, A. J. (2015). The politics of party defection, cross-carpeting and democratic process in Nigeria. In Mohammed, H. (Ed.) The Patterns and Dynamics of Party Politics in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, Dutse: Department of Political Science, Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State.
Jinadu, A. (2014) Political parties and democracy in Nigeria. In Olu O, Egwu, S, Okechukwu, I&Ibrahim, J (Eds.), Political Parties and Democracy in Nigeria. Kuru: National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS)
Khalid, I. N (2021). The legal implications of political defection on Nigeria’s democracy.SRIWIJAYA Law Review, 5 (2), 247-261
Malthora, G. C. (2005). Anti-Defection Law in India and the Commonwealth. New Delhi: Metropolitan Book Co. PVT Ltd.
Mbah, P. (2011).Party defection and democratic consolidation in Nigeria 1999-2009. Afro-Asian Journal of Social Sciences 2 (2), 1-21.
Full text here