Party Politics and Party Laws in New Democracies: the Case of Nigeria in the Fourth Republic, 1999-2011
Aliyu Mukhtar Katsina

Abstract
This article discusses the body of laws and other regulations that guided the operation of political parties and party politics in Nigeria between 1999 and 2011 as a new democracy. Owing to the nature and scope of its functions, no single socio-political institution is as critical to governance and representation in a democratic state as a political party. It articulates policies, form government or opposition as the case may be, and generally serve as a bridge between the government and the governed in a democratic state. However, for a party to effectively perform these functions it needs a robust system of laws to guide and regulate its behaviour within the wider national laws. It is this system of laws that actually distinguishes a party from numerous other organized groups in a democratic state. The focus of this article is on identifying and discussing the major components of those laws that provided parties in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic not only their legitimacy, but also legal and institutional frameworks in which party politics was generally practiced during this period.

Full Text: PDF