Incumbency Factor, Internal Party Democracy and Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to interrogate the nexus between incumbency
factor, internal party democracy and democratic consolidation in Nigeria’s
Fourth Republic. Abundance evidence suggest that Incumbency factor and
internal party democracy exercise monumental influence on the growth of
democracy in Nigeria.
The paper adopts a conceptual and qualitative methodology. The researcher
collected the data through the secondary sources. Thus, relevant materials
including textbooks, journal articles, party constitutions and the 1999
constitution of Nigeria were consulted in the quest to establish the linkages.
The assertion was substantiated and buttressed by the data. The research
unveiled that abuse of incumbency advantage and lack of internal party
democracy constitute major drawbacks to democratic consolidation in
Nigeria.
Adducing convincing evidence, the paper established `the relationship between
incumbency factor, internal party democracy and democratic consolidation
in Nigeria. The paper is particularly imperative for stakeholders in Nigeria’s
democratic experience as it would make them to be conscious and refrain
from abuse of incumbency and adhere to the doctrines of internal party
democracy in order to fast track democratic growth and consolidation in
Nigeria.