HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF POLITICAL PARTIES AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper centres on the formation of political parties prior to independence on a wide range of intrigues of ethnic inter and intra party politics that existed during the elections in the Northern region; the functions of the legislature etcetera. The paper also looks at the problems of ethnicity, religion and political repression in the early development of democratic governance in Northern Nigeria. The paper is an attempted to account for the formation of political parties in Northern Nigeria and through democratic means with a view to explains their challenges to achieving democratic governance and to proffer solutions. It used qualitative designed to analyse date generated in libraries and online documents both in soft and hard copies which was analysed systematically using factor analysis technique for presentation. Therefore ethnic rivalry in politics, political party cross carpeting by politicians, and elections violence were rooted historical prior to independence political party development and governance. It is recommended that both ruling and oppositions political parties, electoral body and civil society organizations should ensure proper adherence to the principles of democracy in Nigeria.