Why political party ‘structure’ matters in Nigeria
Nigerian Voters during a general election

On Sunday, October 9th, in tiny Lesotho, the Basotho—what people from Lesotho are called—voted to give the Revolution For Prosperity (RFP) a stunning victory at the polls.

Led by diamond magnate Sam Matekane and only formed in March this year, the RFP went from a standing start to a majority of 56 out of 120 seats in Lesotho’s parliament.

This fell only five seats short of an outright majority.

 

Key takeaways:

  1. Despite the Labour Party’s good start to the campaign cycle, the APC and PDP remain formidable and will be tough to beat. 

  2. Both parties attained this dominance through a self-reinforcing cycle of accumulating resources and extending reach across the country.

  3. Declining voter turnout suggests this is a good time to challenge Nigeria’s political duopoly.

 

The RFP has come to power in Lesotho at a time of political gridlock and instability, which has hampered the ability of the ruling All Basotho Congress

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Joachim MacEbong

Joachim MacEbong

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