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Politics, in its most practical sense, is about strategy, organization, and the capacity to design political processes that strengthen internal cohesion while advancing party interests. The recent ward, local government, and state congresses conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) have provided a clear demonstration of how political parties can manage internal competition without descending into destructive crises.
Positively, under the leadership of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), chaired by Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, the APC adopted a strategic approach, particularly through consensus based candidate selection in many states and localities. Essentially, prior to the congresses, several opposition parties and political analysts predicted that the process would trigger internal implosion, large-scale protests, and extensive litigation.
However, the outcome has been notably different. Across the country, the party concluded its congresses with relative calm, minimal internal disputes, and virtually no widespread court cases challenging the results. For the African Institute for Statecraft Int’l, this outcome offers important lessons for opposition parties that continue to struggle with internal divisions after congresses and primary elections.
Firstly, consensus politics remains a powerful conflict management tool in party organization. Meanwhile competitive primaries are part of democratic practice, although unmanaged competition often leads to factional crises. The APC approach demonstrated that structured consensus that is achieved through negotiation among stakeholders has the tendency to prevent the emergence of bitter rivalries that weaken party unity after internal elections. As a matter of strategy, opposition parties must therefore develop institutional frameworks that encourage consensus where necessary while preserving fairness.
Secondly, effective pre-congress consultations are critical to stabilizing internal disputes. A successful party congresses do not begin on the day of voting; they are the result of extensive consultations among national leaders, state executives, grassroots structures, and influential blocs within the party. Most opposition parties frequently underestimate the importance of this preparatory stage, leading to disputes that surface during and after primaries, institutionalizing structured stakeholder engagement before congresses can significantly reduce conflict..
Thirdly, internal dispute resolution mechanisms must be strengthened. In many Nigerian parties, aggrieved aspirants immediately resort to the courts because there are no credible internal channels to address grievances. Political parties must establish transparent arbitration committees capable of resolving disputes swiftly and fairly. Internal mechanisms should always be the first line of conflict resolution before external litigation.
Fourth, party discipline and collective interest must take precedence over individual ambition. Unfortunately, one of the reasons many party primaries degenerate into crisis is the absence of a strong culture of discipline. Political parties function effectively when members recognize that the strength of the organization ultimately benefits all stakeholders.
Therefore, the PDP, ADC, Labour party etc, must therefore invest in building a political culture that prioritizes loyalty, institutional respect, and collective victory over personal grievances.
Fifth, central leadership coordination is indispensable. A party’s National Working Committee must provide clear direction, enforce rules consistently, and communicate effectively with state and local structures. When leadership appears fragmented or indecisive, internal contests quickly escalate into chaos. Strong leadership coordination ensures that party processes remain orderly and predictable.
Finally, predictable and transparent political procedures build trust within parties. In effect, members are less likely to challenge outcomes when they trust the process that produced them. Political parties must therefore establish clear congress guidelines, communicate them early, and apply them uniformly across all states and levels of the party structure.
The broader lesson for opposition parties is straightforward, political stability within a party is not accidental, it is the product of deliberate institutional design, strategic negotiation, and disciplined leadership.
Fundamentally, from the standpoint of the African Institute for Statecraft Int’l, Nigeria’s democratic development will be strengthened when political parties both in government and in opposition build strong internal institutions capable of managing competition without fragmentation.
To this end, opposition parties that learn from this experience and reform their internal congress and primary election systems will not only strengthen their organizational capacity but will also position themselves more effectively for electoral competition in the future.
Adai Edwin Adai
Policy Scientist, Political Economist, Pan-Africanist.
