International records / OpenAlex research

The Political Economy of Party Defection in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic

Party defection, the practice of elected officials switching parties’ mid-term, has become an endemic feature of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, fundamentally undermining democratic consolidation. Moving beyond purely institutional or ideational explanations, this paper provides a political economy analysis of the phenomenon. It argues that high defection rates are not signs of democratic vibrancy or ideological realignment, but rather rational, strategic responses to Nigeria’s "political marketplace." In this high-stakes, zero-sum environment, access to the state serves as the primary engine for c…