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

Abstract

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