Internal Party Democracy (IPD) in Nigeria’s Political Parties: A Study of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, 2019 To 2024

Abstract

This study explores Internal Party Democracy (IPD) within Nigerian political parties, focusing on the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State from 2019 to 2024. Adopting a pragmatist-interpretivist paradigm and descriptive survey design, it combines qualitative and quantitative methods to analyse APC’s internal dynamics. A sample of 400 respondents from five Local Government Areas and five observers, including electoral officials and journalists, was selected to ensure broad representation.
Data were collected through structured questionnaires, interviews, and party document analysis. The study examined perceptions of internal democracy and its influence on party stability, revealing practices such as transparent leadership selection, inclusive decision-making, and effective conflict resolution. These elements were found to enhance party cohesion and credibility among members and the electorate.
Despite these strengths, challenges persist. Godfatherism undermines merit-based leadership, while internal divisions hinder inclusivity. These issues obstruct the full realization of IPD and pose risks to the APC’s long-term stability. To overcome these barriers, the study recommends institutionalizing merit-based leadership, encouraging grassroots participation, and strengthening conflict resolution mechanisms. These insights contribute to the broader discourse on party governance in Nigeria and offer a foundation for comparative and longitudinal research on intra-party democracy.