ABSTRACT

The democratization process is a continuous one and political parties play an integral role in it. Nigerian political parties are no different. However, since the inception of the Fourth Republic in 1999, Nigerian political parties have betrayed a very low rate of internal democracy. This is more obvious in the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) especially as it relates to the conduct of party primaries. This study examined administration of justice and internal party democracy in the 2007 gubernatorial election primaries. Two research questions which bordered on the application of the rule of law and the structure of the PDP were raised. Using the Marxist theory of the State as the framework of analysis, it was revealed that the PDP is oligarchic in structure and thus revolves around a few influential party leaders whose words constitute law in the party. But for the intervention of the judiciary, the PDP hierarchy would have succeeded in subverting justice in Rivers State PDP during the 2007 gubernatorial election primaries.