Key questions:
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In Nigeria's recently concluded elections, only four political parties out of 18 won at least 25% of the vote in at least one state. What are the implications of having too many political parties?
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Are there any incentives and benefits of merging political parties?
As the February 25th presidential elections approached, one of the subplots was the debate about when or if Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (RMK) would step down for one of the other candidates in the presidential race.
Kwankwaso—former governor of Kano State—left the PDP to begin his New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to impact the 2023 elections. Of course, RMK did not endorse any candidate. Instead, he put up a strong showing in his home state, winning Kano in the presidential election and ensuring the NNPP won the governorship seat.
While the media may have exaggerated the chances of RMK quitting the race, those rumours were
