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Rurality and Party System Fragmentation in the Nigerian Presidential Elections of the Fourth Republic

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  • Nwankwo Cletus Famous

    (Department of Geography, University of Nigeria Faculty of Social Sciences, Nsukka, Nigeria)

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of rurality on party system fragmentation in the Nigerian presidential elections of the fourth republic. The findings show that party system fragmentation (PSF) has been characteristically low in the Nigerian presidential elections and rurality does not significantly predict party system fragmentation. Rurality has a negative effect on PSF in all the elections studied except the 2003 election but only significant in the 2011 poll. Thus, the paper cast doubt on previous studies that indicate that striking rural-urban differences manifest in party system fragmentation in African elections and attribute it to previous studies’ measure of rurality. The paper argues that the use of a composite measure of rurality instead of singular measures of rurality might provide better analysis that helps us understand the effect of rurality on party systems. Also, it argues that in the study of the rural-urban difference in voting behaviour or political behaviours more broadly, data should be aggregated based on cities and non-city areas because cities have distinctive urban characters compared with non-city places. Analyses done on states or constituencies level may not reveal the rural-urban difference because states and constituencies usually have a mix of rural and urban population and other characteristics.

Suggested Citation

  • Nwankwo Cletus Famous, 2020. "Rurality and Party System Fragmentation in the Nigerian Presidential Elections of the Fourth Republic," Statistics, Politics and Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 11(1), pages 59-85, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:statpp:v:11:y:2020:i:1:p:59-85:n:3
    DOI: 10.1515/spp-2019-0007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mozaffar, Shaheen & Scarritt, James R. & Galaich, Glen, 2003. "Electoral Institutions, Ethnopolitical Cleavages, and Party Systems in Africa's Emerging Democracies," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 97(3), pages 379-390, August.
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    5. Abdul Raufu Mustapha, 2009. "Institutionalising ethnic representation: How effective is affirmative action in Nigeria?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 21(4), pages 561-576.
    6. Keith R. Weghorst & Staffan I. Lindberg, 2013. "What Drives the Swing Voter in Africa?," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 57(3), pages 717-734, July.
    7. Aliye Ahu Gulumser & Tuzin Baycan-Levent & Peter Nijkamp, 2009. "Mapping rurality: analysis of rural structure in Turkey," International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 8(2/3/4), pages 130-157.
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