Party System And Nigerians

Party System And Nigerians

Chapter One

Preface

Background of the Study

The development of political parties in Nigeria dates back to the days of the struggle for political independent in the late 1940s, when the chauvinists were at thepre-independence andpost-independence ages. In thepre-independence and the early post independence ages, political parties in Nigeria weren’t ideologically grounded. Rather, they were regionally grounded and woven around individual politicians who they saw as their instructors. In the last ten times, still parties were registered grounded on the extremities of the time. This was the script until 1998; the need arose for parties that could marshal Nigeria into a new period of republic after over fifteen times of military rule. Historically, political parties in Nigeria have developed and still play a vital part towards the consummation of the popular objects. Indeed, the last fifty times have seen an elaboration of colorful political parties. From 1991- 1993, Nigeria rehearsed a two- party system, with the government establishing the Social Democratic party( SDP) and National Republican Convention( NRC). The military government latterly interdicted the parties after annulling a presidential election in 1993. But Nigeria returned to popular rule in 1999. The restoration of popular government in 1999 led to a new approach to party politics in Nigeria. The procedure for registering political parties was liberalized, thereby, opening up the political space for mass participation in political conditioning in the country. moment, there are further than fifty registered political parties in Nigeria, indeed though only many of them haven’t been suitable to win any election. The many political parties that have dominated the political space to the point that fears are being expressed that the country was drifting towards a one- party state. Opposition parties are beginning to cross to the ruling party both at the civil and stateslevels.Nigeria, like numerous other African countries, has had its fair share of popular challenges, but it has also recorded some achievement over the times. There have formerly been calls across the country for some adaptations and advancements on the way political parties are run and managed, in the times to come. numerous have argued that Nigeria must inescapably borrow the styles that will guarantee the rights of its citizens to handpick leaders of their choice as handed for in the country’sconstitution.As Nigeria connection its popular frame and mechanisms, themulti-parties in Nigeria, need to illustrate a new position of commitment to the jones and bournes of the people for more abecedarian and sustainabledevelopment.The lately 2011 general election in Nigeria really had some sets tails and it really brought the world attention towards our political system. It also leads to them in asking some questions concerning our popular system( voice of Nigeria on Thursday April 18th, 2013).

Statement of the Problems

In amulti-party system, political parties, being the main tool of political development in every being and irrespective of their colorful ideological bends, different political exposures and palm capabilities, they’re still allowed to partake in political competition for the control of ministry of government and also uniting of the people. In every ultramodern society, political parties are viewed to be an agent of concinnity, peace and integration etc. in that society, but despite the below generality, multi-party system still holds some questions that diverge from the below. thus, it’s to this end that we now ask the following questions

. Is there any relationship betweenmulti-party system and political development in Nigeria?

2. What are the political counteraccusations ofmulti-party system in Nigeria?

3. Does multi- party system insure popular connection in Nigeria?

Objects of the Study

The broad objects or points of this exploration work are simply to know the meaning and benefactions ofmulti-party system in Nigeria political development. And these specific objects are as follows

1. To find out the relationship betweenmulti-party system and political development in Nigeria.

2. To pierce the political recrimination ofmulti-party system in Nigeria.

3. To pierce whether the actuality ofmulti-party system ensures popular connection in Nigeria.

Significance of the Study

This exploration work will be significant in the following waysFirstly, it’ll help decision making organs, institutions to determine the base for political party conformation in Nigeria in order to achieve public integration and politicaldevelopment.Secondly, invaluably, it’ll contribute to academic knowledge as respects to serve of political parties to politicaldevelopment.Furthermore, it’ll produce mindfulness and inspire a sense of responsibility on members of political party on the part anticipated of them to achieve good governance and political development.

Literature Review

It’ll be a veritably delicate task to complete this exploration work and arrive at a maintainable conclusion without reviewing workshop of other scholars in this field of study. Since such a review will give an sapience into colorful aspects of the problems and also give acceptable theoretical background. It’s through similar reviews that it would help us to critics ‟ former study and the way in which the present day will help in furnishing result to the problems. Multi-party system has been conceptualized in numerous ways and views. easily speaking, it’s one of the political systems set up in popular or civil countries of the world. numerous scholars had made colorful sweats to explain the meaning ofmulti-party system and how it relates to politicaldevelopment.According to Obikeze( 2004),Multi-party system is “ a scourge to the political growth of any nation ”. To him,multi-party is a reflection of the division that exists within the society and the extent of diversity. This means that once the nation allows a multiple party system to be in operation, that it extends diversity and within the society, the citizens will bring race in politics. He went further to state that, the choosers have the confusion of which party to join and who to bounce for, because choice is problematic as there’s slim ideological difference among the parties. In this case, we set up out that the below problem beget political apathy. Yes! It made groups within the society to be apathetic in the sense that an average political Nigerian man won’t interested in the political conditioning if this choice isn’t the government. The same scholar ended his argument and analysis with this assertion,multi-party system doesn’t produce an avenue for long term planning as a party policy of theco-operating parties must beconsidered.According to Rodee et al( 1957), it was stated that “ the reason of multiple parties is the continuity of deep splits in a political society caused by difference in nation and religion divisive forces are frequently inflamed by irreconcilable element within the nation or by external revolution any moments ”. This means that in utmost of the popular countries like Nigeria, it’s because of the diversity and differences in testament that formed the feeling of ethnicalpolitics.La Palombara and Wemer( 1966), claim that “ the traditional bracket between two party system andmulti-partism isn’t sufficiently meaningful ” they maintained that the4 number of political parties in a political system isn’t basically applicable, but competitiveness of parties is veritably important. This is basically true aboutmulti-parties in Nigeria. In the fourth democracy, one- party, a People ‟ s Democratic Party( PDP) dominated the political seats in the country. thus, looking at the result, the People ‟ s Democratic Party( PDP) won maturity of the seats. The below authors viewed amulti-party system as one in which over an extended period, the same political or coalition of similar parties dominate or hold governmentalpower.According to Larry Diamond( 2009), in an interview by Zainth Economic Quarterly Magazine, this extract reads therefore, calling a political system a popular doesn’t mean it’s good or applaudable system or that we need not to worry important about assessing it further. It also simply means that if a maturity of the people want change in leaders and programs and are suitable to organize effectively within the rules, they can change. This is just an appraisal of the political system that’s rehearsed in Nigeria, but we shouldn’t dwell in this generality of maturity participation and promoting political decay rather of development. If people can organize political party as a popular state( within the rules). It can be granted, but a strong bone that will hold water to foster political development and not a weak association that continued to divide and tearing the nationapart.According to Okpata( 2000),multi-party system is a group system that live where there are generally several parties with nearly equal strength. Political interest and literal experience play dominant part in relinquishment of this system. Multi party system in this understanding, means that the testament, strength, interest, history, experience etc. All these matters a lot in operation ofmulti-party system. The problem with this practice ofmulti-party system in Nigeria is that utmost of political parties that live in the fourth democracy warrant the below attributes mentioned. In fact utmost of the parties were ofnon-ideological type and that isn’t of development in Nigerianpolitics.Eme Awa( 1993) editorialized that “ the system could bemulti-party only in the sacrificial sense of it. In this case, only one party( always the same bones ) wins choices, thereby enlarging the notorious doctrine of interspersing parties that could hold power. Accordingly upon this, a nation may be subject to adherence. Multi-party system was also argued by Awa to frequently establish parties on ethnicalgrounds.According to Omo Omomji( 2008), in his forum donation about paries and politics in Nigeria, he said “ I’m apprehensive that parties should acts certain characteristics and that they’re meant to perform certain functions ”. The issue is that the political parties in Nigeria are still in hunt of a part, hence since 1999, the part of political parties is still fluid. In numerous cases, this so- called political parties since 1999 have come a major part of the problem in Nigeria. The disbandment of partism support and association inmulti-party may have several others negative recrimination. For case, Ferguson and Mc Herny( 1967218) refocused out thatThe disadvantages of having numerous parties is that, themulti-party system producesinstability, confuses the electorate with a multitude of druthers , represents original groups and coalitions and in action. It would make uninterrupted functioning of the electoral system( and integration of different ethnical and socio- profitable group) nearlyimpossible.Moreover, there’s the guanine fear that any addition of separates ethnical groups. As Weiner and La Palombara( 1966) observed, constantly in miscellaneous societies operating amulti-party system, the political partiesre-often asserted with the colorful fractured societies. In similar, a case the parties have no intention of facilitation integration but aim rather at buttressing commitment to thesub-cultures with which they’reidentified.Satori( 1996) points out that “multi-party system is the most insecure and less feasible option to political development ”. He also points out that not only that themulti-party system can not benefit the stimulation of a responsible opposition, but also that, it’s frequently paralyzed by press insecurity and by the presence ofanti-system parties which replace competitive politics with reckless outbidding under these condition, according to Satori( 1996175) Themulti-party system is more an agent of decomposition than an instrument of aggregation and integration and the outgrowth is sheer immobility, mal- integration or unruly change, than is an ideologically motivated, unrealistic sequence of abrupt changes that are likely to besuccessful.What could be deduced in the below assertion is that a developing pluralistic society in hunt of public integration( as an trait of political changes and insecurity, nor can it go increased polarization of a great number of splits that formerly was in the society.

This was whymulti-party system had failed constantly in Nigeria as a medium for fostering political stability and politicaldevelopment.According to Daniel Learner( 1950), he editorialized. “ The end of traditional societies, modernization of middle east ” equates political development with politicalmodernization.W.W Rostow( 2008) also treated political development as typical miracle of the artificial society. He was of the opinion that the artificial societies are the patterns setters of political development for other societies. Edward Shills( 1991) editorialized that political development is a nation statebuilding.According to Samuel.P. Verma( 2009) stated that, the topmost debit of these studies was that they treated “ political development ” as dependent variables, generated by commodity differently, a worldwide surge of modernization, nationalism or republic and not as an independent or canvassing variable which in its own turn could shape effects. hereafter, political scientist sought to concoct indispensable meaning of politicaldevelopment.Gabriel Almond( 1990) defined political development as “ the increased isolation and specialization of political structures and the increased secularization of political culture ”, effectiveness, effectiveness and capability were seen a standard of political appertained by Coleman( 1956) as “ Development pattern ”.