A political party is significant because it _____?

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks why a political party is significant, meaning what its defining and most important function is in a political system.

Step 2: Explain the concept A political party is an organized group of people who share similar ideas about how a country should be governed. They come together to win elections and control government so they can put their policies and programmes into action. Examples in Nigeria are the APC, PDP, and LP.

Parties also do other useful things:

• They educate and mobilize citizens politically.
• They present candidates for elections.
• They aggregate and articulate the interests of the people.
• They form the government or serve as the opposition that checks it.

Step 3: Evaluate the options

• A. Stimulates political rancour: This is a negative effect, not a reason for their significance.
• B. Encourages electoral malpractices: This is a vice that parties are criticized for, not a purpose.
• C. Seeks political power: This is the main goal and defining feature of a political party. Everything else a party does is tied to gaining or keeping power.
• D. Settles disputes: This is the job of the judiciary (courts) and sometimes of other bodies such as traditional rulers or arbitration panels, not of political parties.

Step 4: Answer The correct option is C. seeks political power.

Tip: When you see "political party" in a WASSCE question, think "win power to form government." Eliminate options that describe negative behavior (rancour, malpractice) or functions of other institutions (disputes belong to the judiciary).