Political Parties and National Integration in Nigeria

Abstract

The role of political parties in national integration in plural societies should be obvious. This is because of their expected capacities to integrate the differences that exist within the societies and between various segments for nation building and sustainable development. Structures and institutions of state are not enough to facilitate nation building and   integration. Political parties should therefore serve as the foundation for nation-building and national integration and sustainable development. The paper attempts an interrogation of how Nigerian political parties from independence have done in nation building and integration. The paper discovers that political parties have not played sufficiently the role expected of them towards nation building and national integration. Rather, the poor performance and ethnic inclinations of the parties have culminated in bad governance disunity of the country. The paper therefore recommends a reconsideration of Nigeria’s political parties such that they will engender genuine democratic practice which will ensure nation building, integration, stable democracy and sustainable development.