RESTRUCTURING NIGERIA INTO A ONE-PARTY STATE: ASSESSMENT OF THE FOURTH REPUBLIC

Abstract

The rate of pulling opposition political parties into the orbit of the party in controlof the centre by the (ruling party) federal power towards a one-party system has continued to raisedangerous alarms and unanswered questions relating to Nigeria’s cultural and political diversityand the future of the country’s multi-party democracy. In our attempt to address this phenomenon,secondary sources of data were largely used while the descriptive method of data analysis wasadopted. The study anchors on Marxist theory of post-colonial state to postulate that pullingopposition figures into the orbit of the party in control of the centre by the federal power toguarantee diminished opposition representation is attributable to the character of Nigeria as apostcolonial state. The study therefore concludes with recommendation that restructuring theeconomy along socialist line (socialist transformation) is the ultimate measure against relatedproblems of postcolonial state Socialist method would enhance decentralization of power and aswell power distribution among multiple political parties suitable for Nigeria’s pluralistic nature.Again, two- party system should be alternatively adopted for Nigeria in accordance with therecommendation of 1988 political Bureau Report to strengthen democratic consolidation andelectoral stability.