CANDIDATE SELECTION IN POLITICAL PARTIES: A Case for Imposition and Consensus Candidacy

By Olalekan Bassey

Politics is deep. You need to be willing to learn, to understand the dynamics of party politics. While nothing is cast in stone, a little research into the rudiments of party politics have revealed that candidate selection processes during primaries is not holy writ; the ideology and political culture of the party determines how political aspirants emerge.
I am a major antagonist of candidate imposition, but some little fact-finding has revealed to me that it is not an abberation in the partisan enclave. Yes, one may choose to argue on the demerits of the methodology, but that does not make it utterly disdainful.
According to ‘ the Electoral Knowledge Network, ‘ political parties can select their candidates in different ways. One way is to centralise the candidate selection mechanism in a manner that will allow local, regional or national leaders control the selection of candidates. Another ways is by participation, wherein ordinary members in the party have a say in the candidate selection process.
Further confirming this, Rahat and Hazan disclosed in the published article titled ‘ Candidate Selection Methods, which was published in The Journal of Party Politics, Vol 7, No 3, pp 297 – 322 (2001), that candidate selection by political parties is more complex than general elections. While eletorates determine who wins and election, selectorates within the party determine who represents the party in general elections. Rahat and Hazan (2001), also stated that the Selectorate is the body that determines who gets the party ticket. The Selectorate may be one person, several people recognized as major stakeholders, or every member of the political party. Determining what makes up the Selectorate is the exclusive reserve of the party leadership.

The selectorates in the ‘party members’ zone can be distinguished according to the restrictions on party membership, the additional requirements that are placed on members with a conditional right to take part in the party selectorate, and the level of accessibility of the selector to the selection procedure.

For example, one rule that could restrict membership, or just the right to participate in candidate selection, is the payment of membership dues. Members’ participation may also be restricted by the request for a minimal party membership period prior to candidate selection, proof of party activity, etc. The Selectorate theory is dependent on a coalition of people who by virtue of their position and hierarchy within the party, hold the exclusive privilege of deciding the best political candidate for the party.

So, what determines the candidate selection process to be adopted by a political party
Since candidate selection process in party politics is not cast in stone, the determinants of the selection methodology include party ideology, electoral system, political terrain and other factors that are unique to political parties. Reilly et al (2008), in the Policy Brief submitted to the United Nations University, affirm that conflict-prone societies find it difficult to hinge on the backdrop of all-members’ inclusiveness when picking candidates to represent political parties. Understanding this, one would easily see the reason some parties decide to pick consensus candidates through a small but efficient number of selectorates.

Democratising candidate selection in party politics may truly be beneficial for internal democracy; however, political parties who believe in not giving the opposition unneccsary chance to upstage them may choose to select candidates who they belive have a higher propensity to win elections. While democracy is a popularity contest, it does not always deliver the best person for a position.
There are more antelopes than lions in the jungle; so if elections were to be organized, the lion will never be king of the jungle. Ordinarily, which should be the king of the jungle; the antelope or the lion?
We complain about imposition candidates from leaders; but we are not ready to give the same sacrifice that the major stakeholders give to the party.
Do you pay your membership dues in the political party you belong to? If no, then you are not worth being part of the Selectorate.