Sahel Analyst: ISSN 1117-4668 Page 1 IMPACT OF POLITICAL PARTIES ON DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA’S FOURTH REPUBLIC Kelly Bryan Ovie Ejumudo 1 Francis A. Ikenga 2 Abstract This study examines political parties and democracy in Nigeria’s fourth republic. The data utilised in this study were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. The findings of the study revealed that the critical role which political parties are supposed to play in the democratisation process and democratic consolidation in Nigeria is largely constrained by poor internal democracy, penchant for power and sit-tight mentality as well as electoral manipulation tendencies of political parties and the culture of corruption in the external environment of the political parties in Nigeria. The study made some useful recommendations including the exigency of ideologically based political parties that are imbued with feelings and reality of internal democracy and governance, independent judicial, electoral and security institutions and citizenship awareness and participation. Keywords: Political Parties, Democracy, Democratisation, Nigeria, Fourth Republic. Introduction Globally, democratisation and democratic governance have become fashionable and common place. This development and trend may not be unconnected with the reasoning that democratic governance is typified by an environment that is congenial for the recognition and exercise of freedom, competition and social justice (Ejumudo, 2012). While it is arguably true that there exist several institutions that are expected to play key roles in the democratisation efforts and democratic consolidation, political parties appears to be the most critical, primarily because they are the immediate beneficiaries of democratic governance. This position derives from the understanding that it is political parties that form governments through their elected and appointive representatives and as a consequence, they take over and control the commanding height of governance. Political parties are therefore central to any democratic experimentation and democratic enterprise. This view point is in- 1 Department of Political Science, Novena University, Ogume, Nigeria. drkellypaulovieejumudo@yahoo.com 2 Department of Political Science, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria