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Abstract
Democracy is a political system characterized by regular and free elections in which politicians organized into political parties; compete for power by right of the virtue of all adults to vote and by the guarantee of a range of political and civil rights. Abraham Lincoln offered one of the simplest definitions of democracy as “government of the people by the people and for the people”. In this wise, democracy is first and foremost people-centered. It also involves mass participation and basic individual freedom as its hallmark. The study is anchored on theory of participatory democracy. Jean Jacque Rousseau the exponent of popular sovereignty is regarded as the pioneer of participatory democracy. In his classical work, the social contract, Rousseau asserted that sovereignty not only originated with the people, it is also retained by the people in spite of their transition from the state of nature to civil society. Thus sovereignty cannot be represented because it cannot be alienated. Political parties should create an enabling environment whereby citizens are free to vote in their preferred choice of leaders, without feeling insecure, this however promotes true democracy and allows its citizens to practice their fundamental human right which is one the features of democracy. Nigeria practicing a multiparty system ,every registered political parties should have equal opportunity without been dominated by a one or two political parties, when this is done ,it creates equal chances and opportunity which gives individual the freedom and right to make different choices and the right to vote and be voted for. Key words: Democracy, Political Party, Nigerian Democracy