INTERNAL PARTY DEMOCRACY AND PARTY ORGANIZATIONAL STABILITY IN NIGERIA: PARTY PRIMARY AND CONGRESS IN PDP CHAPTER OF NIGER STATE (2015)

Abstract

This paper examines the internal party democratic processes in the conduct of the internal

party activities of peoples' Democratic Party in Niger State (2015), with a view to

unveiling the dynamics of internal party democracy and organizational stability of the

party in Niger State. Qualitative research design was employed in gathering both primary

and secondary data used to examine the extent to which internal party democracy

influence party organizational stability. The study revealed that, decisions concerning the

selection of party candidates and party officials emerge through undemocratic processes

and do not represent the views of wider party membership, thus causing organizational

instability. The role ordinary party members' play in party affairs is secondary to that of the

political elites. The implications of these persistent internal problems faced by the party has

been decamping of party members to other political parties, conflict of interest over choice

of candidate and divided loyalty among party members and organizational instability. To

minimize these conflicts, the party needs to decentralize party decision making processes

by allowing ordinary party members view prevails above those of the party leadership

during internal party affairs.