Uluslararası Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi
Yazarlar: Ohazuruike, Kennedy
Konular:
Anahtar Kelimeler:Internal Party Democracy,Principal-Agent Theory,Party Leadership,Elected Public Official,Political Dominance,Democracy
Özet: Political parties have been known to play a crucial role in the democratic process if they embrace and institutionalize internal party democracy. Sustainable democracy is dependent upon well-functioning and effective political party which is seen to adhere to the principle and practice of internal party democracy and the cordial and health relationship between the party leadership and elected public officials on the deliverance of democratic dividend through inclusive governance. The paper examine the extent the observance of the principle and practice of internal party democracy has enhance or reduce the struggle between party leadership and elected public officials over the control of the governance process in Nigeria and South Africa. The paper adopts the explanatory research design, documentary source of data collection and qualitative method of analysis. Anchoring our analysis on the principal agent theory, findings amongst others revealed that; in Nigeria the elected public officials become the leaders of the party at the national or state level as the case may be and assume control over the party affairs to the point of instigating the removal of the party leadership, or even forming a parallel leadership within the party. These actions by the elected political leadership have been one of the major threats in the practice of internal party democracy in Nigeria. In South Africa the party is supreme and exert control over elected public officials to the point of even asking the officials to resign their political positions when they (the elected officials) have fallen out of favour with the party leadership. The paper recommends amongst others that the party leadership should include party members in intraparty deliberation and decision making, and ensure that the party subscribes to and abides by the basic and universal democratic tenets as these actions will go a long way to enhance internal party democracy and democratic consolidation in both countries.