PEOPLES’ DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND SELECTION OF GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE IN NORTH-WEST NIGERIA
Yusuf Musa Yahaya, PhD
Volume 5 Issue 1
Abstract
This study offers an in-depth, qualitative examination of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate selection process in Northwestern Nigeria, with the aim of understanding the underlying political dynamics and their impact on the party’s electoral performance. Utilizing a qualitative paper design, the study focused on interpreting the complex, internal political culture that shaped candidate selection, arguing that the process was a key determinant of the party's significant defeat in the 2015 general election. The methodological approach centered on gaining rich, contextual insights from those directly involved in the selection process. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 party executives in the North-Western geopolitical zone, allowing for a deep exploration of their perceptions, motivations, and experiences. The interview protocol used a set of 10 structured questions to guide the conversations, ensuring thematic consistency while allowing for the emergence of new, relevant details. The resulting interview transcripts and relevant party documents were analyzed using thematic and documentary methods. This qualitative analysis uncovered several critical themes that permeated the selection process. The findings highlight the significant influence of internal party politics on candidate selection, revealing a process fraught with problems despite adherence to formal rules. Key themes that emerged from the interviews included the pervasive influence of party executives, the strategic use of incumbency power by serving PDP governors, and the destabilizing impact of internal party factions. Furthermore, the analysis illuminated the significant role played by wealthy party benefactors and the persistent presence of ethno-religious sentiments in shaping selection outcomes. These factors frequently inflicted factionalism among party members, which negatively impacted the quality of candidates. Ultimately, the executives’ narrative suggests a strong link between the perceived lack of credibility in the 2014 gubernatorial candidate selection process and the party’s subsequent electoral failure in 2015. The study concludes that internal factionalism, member defection, and electoral defeat were direct consequences of the PDP's flawed political culture in the North-Western geopolitical zone. Keywords: Political Party, Candidate Selection, Elite Influence, Internal Party Democracy, Factionalism
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