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Theoretical and Structural Issues in Nigerian Politics

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Nigeria’s 2015 General Elections

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Abstract

The chapter brings into clear relief the underlying theoretical and structural factors that frame nuances and complexity of politics and electoral democracy in Nigeria beyond simplistic analysis which reduces Nigerian politics to communal feud between Christian south and Muslim north. Among others, the chapter discusses salient theoretical issues and undercurrents of Nigerian politics such as the interpenetration of class, ethnicity and religion; the secularity of the Nigerian state; the politics of federalism and the management of ethno-religious divisions; and socio-economic inequality including its occurrence along ethno-religious lines. These issues permeate the party system, define elite behaviour in the context of struggle for power and shape voter behaviour as defining elements of electoral democracy in Nigeria. The chapter therefore provides the overarching issues and context which frame the elements of continuity and change in Nigeria’s electoral democracy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute for Legislative Studies, Abuja, Nigeria

    Ladi Hamalai

  2. Department of Political Science, University of Jos, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

    Samuel Egwu

  3. Research and Training Department, National Institute for Legislative Studies, Abuja, Nigeria

    J. Shola Omotola

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  1. Ladi Hamalai
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  2. Samuel Egwu
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  3. J. Shola Omotola
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Hamalai, L., Egwu, S., Omotola, J.S. (2017). Theoretical and Structural Issues in Nigerian Politics. In: Nigeria’s 2015 General Elections. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54096-2_2

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