INTERNAL DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA POLITICAL PARTIES: THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY EXPERIENCE IN BENUE STATE1999- 2019

Political Parties are institutions that are vital to the sustenance of democracy in anypolity, therefore the way and manner a political party conducts its affairs is fundamentalto its survival and its ability to impact on the polity. This study explores the internalactivities of the Peoples Democratic Party in Benue state from 1999-2019; The elitetheory was used to explain the roles few elite in the state play in controlling the internalaffairs of the PDP, the study also relied on primary and secondary data to assess internaldemocracy in the PDP in Benue State. The study identified the basic tenets of internalparty democracy and argues that internal party democracy is lacking in the Peoplesdemocratic party in Benue State due to imposition of candidates, flagrant violations ofits constitution, violence, crude manipulation, distortion of zoning arrangement by theleaders of the party, leading to litigation, membership resignation to other politicalparties and wide spread discontentment within the party. The study also assesses theconduct of successive primaries of the PDP in Benue State and concludes that internalparty democracy in political parties will enhance democracy in Benue State and Nigeriaat large. The study proffers wide range of options including the mandatory payment ofparty dues and levies by card carrying members of the party and need to check theinfluence of Governors and few party money bag financiers(“Godfaterism”) who mosttimes subvert internal democracy in political parties in Benue State amongst otherrecommendations.