This chapter asks why political clientelism persists in many neighborhoods despite advancements in liberal-democratic institutions. The chapter shows how the evolution of political clientelism in urban Ghana has its roots in pre-colonial and colonial structures of power, as well as how cities developed over time. The approach calls into question the conventional wisdom in political science scholarship that patrons rely on clients to win elections in exchange for goods and services needed for poor people to survive. This simplistic view of political clientelism overlooks how leaders control space and territory, the historical evolution of leadership, and how leaders bolster their reputation by gaining admiration and respect among followers. The chapter suggests that scholars need to pay close attention to the construction of legitimate authority. Drawing from ethnographic data, it shows how stranger settlements have developed responsive and legitimate leaders to serve the interests of the public, while indigenous and squatter settlements have not.