Ibadan Journal of the Social Sciences
Volume 23, No. 2, 2025
DOI: 10.36108/ijss/5202.32.0270
Constitutional Perspective on Political Party Ideology in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic
Daniel Godwin1 and Richard Uzoma Gbemudia2
1Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
2Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos, Nigeria
Abstract
The constitutionalisation of political parties in most third-world democracies began at independence. Nigeria’s political parties are no exception. This study examined the place of political party ideology in the Nigerian constitution. This was done with specific reference to parties’ ideological guidelines in the Nigerian 1999 constitution. A case study design was utilised for the study. Three political parties studied include the All Progressives Congress (APC), the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). However, references were made to other political parties. Key Informant Interviews were conducted with politicians, party leaders, academics and heads of civil society organisations to elicit relevant information. National Publicity Secretaries, four National Directors from APC Headquarters, and nine serving members of the National Assembly from the three parties—three APC, two APGA, and four PDP—were interviewed. Others were Director Generals, one each from the Electoral Institute of Nigeria and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD); one programme manager from CDD; one United Nations Development Programme consultant [red text: consultant], and two researchers from the National Institute for Legislative Studies. Secondary data were sourced from the national constitution, party constitutions, party guidelines, and media reports. The data were content analysed. The study attributed the lack of a sharp ideological divide among the parties to the constitutional provisions and the constitutionalisation of Nigerian political parties in the Fourth Republic. Hence, the Nigerian state should refrain from overt constitutionalisation of party matters. This will give parties leverage in the ideological or policy space.
Keywords: Constitutional regulations, political party, political ideologies, Nigeria’s Fourth Republic