Reciprocal retaliation and local linkage: Federalism as an instrument of opposition organizing in nigeria

Abstract

How do local politics shape national political competition in Africa? This article explores opposition party formation in Nigeria, where citizens voted out the People's Democratic Party in 2015 after 16 years in power. Existing analyses attribute the victory of the All Progressives Congress to issues such as corruption, terrorism, and declining economic performance. Drawing upon field research in Abuja and Rivers, a key opposition state, this article argues that the institutional environment also played a role. Federalism provided the nascent All Progressives Congress with a partisan basis for subnational interest coordination. Rivers' governor leveraged his authority over local governments to challenge the federal government, linking local struggles to broader states' rights. The People's Democratic Party unsuccessfully attempted to deter defections and subvert subnational challenges through court cases and other means. More than just a mechanism for resource distribution, representation, or conflict mediation, Nigeria's federalism has emerged as an instrument of party organizing.