By Wisdom Onyeisi
Political parties play a central role in Nigeria’s democratic process. However, recurring internal crises, ranging from leadership tussles to ideological conflicts and factionalism continue to weaken party structures.
As Nigeria moves toward the 2027 general election, these crises pose significant implications for political stability, voter confidence, and governance.
These struggles often result in court cases and parallel party executives. Internal disagreements often split parties into rival camps, each claiming legitimacy. This fragmentation weakens party cohesion ahead of elections.
As 2027 approaches, increased movement of politicians between parties is expected. These defections can alter political alliances and voter expectations.
Party conflicts such as leadership struggles, factionalism, and lack of internal democracy, will strongly influence how political parties prepare for and perform in the 2027 general election. These conflicts affect voter behaviour, campaign strength, party cohesion, and the credibility of the electoral process.
When parties are divided, their organizational strength reduces. This leads to poor coordination during campaigns, disorganized primaries, weak mobilization of members and supporters
Conflicts give the impression that parties prioritize power struggles over governance. Internal battles make it hard to convince voters that the party can offer stable leadership.
However, Party conflict significantly shapes the political atmosphere ahead of the 2027 election. It affects how parties recruit candidates, mobilize supporters, organize campaigns, and present themselves to the electorate. For Nigeria to achieve credible elections, parties must strengthen internal democracy, resolve leadership disputes peacefully, and prioritize unity.