Party Switching and Political Instability in Oyo State: Trends from 2015 to 2023

This study investigates the phenomenon of party switching and its implications for political instability in Oyo State, covering the period from 2015 to 2023. The regularity with which Nigerian politicians defect from one party to another has raised serious concerns about the ideological coherence of political parties and the sustainability of democratic governance. Using a qualitative research design, the study relies on secondary data sourced from the Independent National Electoral Commission, academic journals, newspaper archives, and reports from civil society organisations. The study applies the institutionalist theoretical framework to assess how weak party structures and the absence of internal democracy facilitate defection behaviour among political elites. Findings reveal that the majority of party switches in Oyo State were motivated by personal electoral calculations rather than ideological disagreements, with defections typically occurring in the months preceding general elections. The study further establishes that repeated party switches destabilise governmental coalitions, weaken legislative oversight, and erode public confidence in representative institutions. The South West geopolitical zone, despite its relatively higher levels of civic awareness, has not been immune to these patterns. The study recommends amendments to Nigeria's Electoral Act to impose stricter consequences for arbitrary defection, alongside reforms that promote internal party democracy. These measures, it is argued, would reduce the transactional nature of partisan affiliation and strengthen the institutional foundations of Nigerian democracy. Keywords: party switching, political defection, Oyo State, party instability, democratic governance