Winner-Takes-All Politics and Democratic Instability in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic: A Critical Reappraisal
Keywords:
Conflict, Democracy, Elections, Politics, Winner-takes-allAbstract
This study interrogates the implications of winner-takes-all politics for democratic stability in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic. Relying on a qualitative analysis of political developments from 1999 to 2023, it contends that Nigeria’s political system, structured around zero-sum electoral contests, fosters exclusion, heightens inter-group animosity, and undermines democratic consolidation. Drawing on elite theory and supported by documented cases of power centralization, executive-legislative friction, and electoral violence, the paper demonstrates that the current framework sustains political volatility and erodes citizen trust. The study advocates a shift toward inclusive governance through electoral and constitutional reforms that promote power-sharing and participatory democracy.
Keywords: Conflict, Democracy, Elections, Politics, Winner-takes-all