INTRA-PARTY POLITICS AND PRIMARY ELECTIONS IN PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY: A STUDY OF THE EMERGENCE OF GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES IN KADUNA STATE, (1999-2015)

ABSTRACT

As a result of irregularities in the conduct of PDP governorship primaries, which has to do with the imposition of candidates, substitution of candidates‘ names in INEC some weeks to the general elections, submission of names to INEC of candidates who were defeated at the primary election, neglecting rank-and-file members in most decisions affecting party primaries, the party has been bedeviled by crises in varying proportions, ranging from distrust among members, instability of the democracy, political thuggery, inter-party defections, anti-party politics, verbal warfare and physical violence to mention just few. The study seeks to i. Examine the nature of Intra-Party Politics in PDP Kaduna State Chapter with regards to its Gubernatorial Primaries from 1999-2015. ii..To critically analyze the extent through which the conduct of PDP‘s Gubernatorial Primaries in Kaduna State conform to the internal democracy requirements as contained in the electoral Act, indices of candidate‘s selection as well as the constitution of the party from 1999-2015. iii.. To find out some of the factors that influence party members to vote for a particular candidate during Gubernatorial Primaries of Peoples Democratic Party in Kaduna State between 1999-2015. iv. To examine whether or not irregularities have been manifested in the conduct of Gubernatorial Primaries of Peoples Democratic Party in Kaduna State from 1999-2015. v.. To discuss the implications of the absence of the observance of democratic principles in the conduct of PDP Gubernatorial Primaries to the development of democracy in a developing nation like Nigeria. The research adopted the Elite Theory in the analysis of intra-party politics in Nigeria. The researcher made use of the multi-stage sampling technique to get the population of the study. The State was clustered into three (3) senatorial districts from where two (2) Local Government Areas were selected from each. From these, the Adhoc delegates were systematically selected for the interview. Data was presented using simple percentage statistical method. The interpretation of the analyzed data as it related to the objectives of the study was presented in a tabular form. Finally, the research has been able to find out that, intra-party politics in Kaduna state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party between 1999-2015 was only in theory but practically it has been bedeviled by some major challenges that are identified as follows; godfatherism, financial inducement, influence of powerful political elite, incumbency factor, the application of the federal character principles, problem of rural and cosmopolitan politics and ethno-religious factor. The research also recommends that, Party members must be allowed to freely elect those who will carry their party‘s flag during the general election.

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