| dc.description.abstract | The study examined the role and ideological orientations of Nigeria’s two dominant political parties, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), through a comparative analysis of their manifestos spanning from 2013 to 2025. The core motivation stemmed from the observation that, despite their prominence, Nigerian political parties often articulate similar policy goals yet diverge in their ideological commitments and governance approaches, raising concerns about the authenticity of their ideological adherence and the implications for democratic consolidation. This concern was compounded by the persistent influence of ethnicity, religion, and patronage politics, which often overshadow ideological commitments, thereby weakening democratic accountability and policy coherence. The specific objectives of the study were to analyze and compare the manifestos of PDP and APC, identify their core ideological stances, assess their policy priorities, and evaluate the degree of adherence to these policies in practice.
The study adopted a qualitative desk-review methodology and in-depth interview involving use of secondary and primary sources, including official party manifestos, scholarly articles, government and electoral reports, media commentaries, and historical documents. Thematic content analysis was employed to systematically code and classify the data into recurring themes and ideological categories. The analysis was contextualized within the theoretical framework of Elite Theory, which posits that political power remains concentrated among a small ruling elite, and the theory of Historical Materialism, emphasizing economic and social class influences on political ideologies.
The key findings revealed that both PDP and APC articulated overlapping commitments to key national issues such as economic growth, security, education, agriculture, infrastructure, and anti-corruption efforts. Despite their ideological differences, both parties exhibited a pattern of pragmatic adaptation, often falling short of their ideological promises during governance, primarily due to systemic corruption, ethnic loyalties, and internal party dynamics that diluted ideological coherence. The study found notable similarities where both parties prioritized economic diversification, security, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and poverty alleviation, with overlapping policy emphases on anti-corruption, job creation, and infrastructural development. Nonetheless, their strategies differed, PDP favored government-led initiatives and social welfare programs, while APC emphasized deregulation, private sector participation, and institutional reforms. The study also highlighted critical divergences in their approaches to economic policy, security strategies, and governance philosophies, reflecting their underlying ideological orientations.
Based on the findings, the study recommended that Nigerian political parties should reinforce their ideological commitments through institutional reforms promoting internal democracy and accountability. Enhanced public engagement, transparency in policy implementation, and rigorous anti-corruption measures will foster ideological integrity and democratic accountability. Furthermore, fostering inclusive policies that represent marginalized groups and emphasizing evidence-based policymaking can bridge the gap between ideology and practice. | en_US |
