Power Alternation in African Democracies

• In Event: Issues of Democracy in Africa

Abstract

Prior to the 1990s when multiparty democracy started returning to Africa after a long hiatus, monopolization of political power by one party or an authoritarian regime was the hallmark of governance on the continent. However, in recent times, the trend has been reversed. To be sure, one of the emerging and increasing features of the new African democracies is that opposition parties now regularly defeat the ruling parties and gain power to rule. In some countries, the ruling and opposition parties have switched positions more than once. This unprecedented political phenomenon on the African continent, which by implication could provide insight into which democracy is consolidating and which is not, deserves some interrogation. Thus, this study examines the social, political and economic factors driving power alternation, focusing on Ghana and Nigeria. We employ the mixed methods, combining both survey research technique and secondary data, and analysed same using descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis. The study argues that power alternation in Africa is driven by political, economic and social factors, namely, intra-party crisis, macro-economic crisis and corruption etc.

Authors

• Joseph Olayinka Fashagba, Federal University Lokoja

• Inda Nurudeen Bello, Federal University Lokoja