POLITICAL PARTIES AND LEADERSHIP RECRUITMENT IN NIGERIA: A Case Study of the People's Democratic Party (PDP)

Abstract

Political parties and leadership recruitment have been burning issues, not only in developing countries of the world but also in the advanced western countries. The most important function of a political party is the selection of leaders. The process of choosing a leader is informed by the need to have a better alternative. Thus, democracy implies the presence and existence of an informed electorate and an enabling environment for democracy to thrive in. According to Okadigbo (1987), "political leadership is the decision on social policy and resource allocation as exerted by partisan representatives". The leadership process is hinged on the capacity to allocate scarce resources, which determines the focus of power. A society without visionary and committed leaders will retrogress, or at best remain stagnant.