The parties dominant parties of the third and fifth republics. Apc as the new governing party after the 2015 general election is also not. Politics of merger of political parties in nigeria. The independent national electoral commission, inec, yesterday, announced the registration of five new political parties, bringing the number in the country to 45. Pdf ethnicity and development of political parties in. Niger banned all opposition parties from 1959 prior to independence to 1991. Most people do not know but there are presently 68 inec recognized political parties in nigeriaupdated for 2018. The second political party was the northern peoples congress npc and it. The history of political parties boundless political science. Thus, only five political parties out of fifty political associations that applied for registration were eventually registered. This newly created country contained a multiplicity of diverse ethnic groups which had evolved com plex systems of government. Political parties and elections constitutionally give democracy legitimacy, credibility and general acceptance as essential elements of pluralistic. Niger has a multiparty system, with two to three strong political parties and smaller parties electorally successful to take seats in the national assembly. The politics of opposition parties merger and the struggle for power in nigerias 2015 general elections luqman saka, ph.
Under nigerian law, any individual interested in running for any political office must be a registered member of a political party. These smaller parties frequently enter into electoral coalitions with their more powerful opponents, forming blocs in both government and opposition. Ncnc and ag in the new nndp, on the other handthat contributed. Most people do not known about this political parties in nigeria. The national council of nigeria and the cameroons ncnc. The point here therefore, is tha t people in the northern region of the country seem to be less concern or.
As per latest publication from election commission of india, the total number of parties registered was 2599, with 6 national parties, 53 state parties and 2538 unrecognised parties. In 1959, there were three political parties in the country and they include the following. Nigerias political independence was ushered in by the 12 december 1959 general elections into local councils, regional and federal legislatures. The first party system is a model of american politics used by political scientists and historians to periodize the political party system existing in the united states between roughly 1792 and 1824. Because of the hunger to attain on leadership position of the other, it has resulted to political crises and disintegration. Wogu1 corresponding author,muyiwa adeniyi sholarin2, fadeke e. History and development of political parties in nigeria. I tried searching on the net,but it seems they do not have a website. Hence, the activities of government tend to foster primordial loyalties such as ethnic sensivity and overt projection of other selfish political tendencies. Do nigerian political parties have defined ideologies. The famous names were the nigerian national democratic party.
Nigerias militant islamist group which has caused havoc in africas most populous country through a wave of bombings is fighting to overthrow the government and create an islamic state. Political parties are the intermediate institution mediating the affairs of both the people and personnel and agencies that exercise state power. National council of nigeria and the cameroons ncnc. After an unbroken 18 years of civil rule, the longest democratic experience in nigerias 57year history as an independent nation, a lot is still required of the countrys political parties. Other articles where national party of nigeria is discussed. As nigeria has this high number of human population, so is the number of political parties in the country as every politician wants to be governor or president. Political parties 19961998 national democratic coalition nadeco committee for national consensus cnc democratic party of nigeria dpn grassroots democratic movement gdm national centre party of nigeria ncpn united nigeria congress party uncp justice party jp. Nigeria is said to be a british creation by uniting the various nationalities into a single country today known as the federal republic of nigeria. Congress 1955, formed through the merger between the middle belt league 1950. National party of nigeria political party, nigeria britannica. During the first republic 19601974, the ppnrda was the sole party. Full list of registered political parties in nigeria 2020. Democracy and political participation are related to good governance are interrelated and complementary but appear to be antithetical in nigeria. Historically in nigeria, political parties seem to be formed along ethnic, cultural, geo political and religious lines.
Coalition until the political parties act, 2007 came into force. Development of political parties in nigeria archives. Full list of political parties in nigeria nigerian finder. Two major political parties emerged as the opposition parties when nigeria. However, the newly elected opposition party all progressive congress will be the case study of this research.
The dissolution of a number of political parties in nigeria into one party the all progressive congress apc in 20 ahead of 2015 election reenacted an already existing trend in nigerian politics referred to as politics of merger of political parties. The real crux of the debate is how political parties in nigeria are willing to switch from their electioneering campaign of personality politics coupled with trading of insults to actual policy issues which could be of more concern and importance to the electorates. National party of nigeria political party, nigeria. This is a fundamental right guaranteed by section 40 of the 1999 constitution. In the nigerian political history, political parties have appeared in various guises, and have also disappeared under different guises. The top three political parties at the moment still remains all progressive congress apc, peoples democratic party pdp, and all progressives grand alliance apga. Generally, nigerias political parties have been plagued by suspensions and expulsions of party members, cross carpeting particularly prior to elections and deep divisions and factions that have manifested sometimes in violent conflicts ikelegbe, 20. Political parties and party systems in africa published by the berkeley electronic press, 2007 minority premium e. The dissolution of a number of political parties in nigeria into one party the all progressive congress apc in. In nigeria, the 1999 constitution as amended of the federal republic of nigeria specified in section 225 16 conditions and scrutiny of the sources of funds and expenses of political parties. Political parties and threats of democratic reversal in nigeria. Apga, merged to form the apc the nation, may 29, 2015. According to the body in charge of conducting election and registering political parties, independent national electoral commission, inec, nigeria has 18 dully registered political parties and operate a multiparty system.
How to register a political party in nigeria lawpadi. The electoral laws under which elections were conducted throughout the period of the 1950s. In addition, national and state parties have to fulfill these conditions for all subsequent lok sabha or state elections, or else they lose their status. Ppf handbook 7 practices before 199899 elections the 1959 election preceded the grant of political independence to nigeria in 1960. New datasets on political institutions and elections, 1972 2005. Does any one know how i can join any of the political parties in the country, in particular the pdp. Introduction nigeria and nigerians have been caught in the frenzy of centenary celebration. You can join kowa party at the comfort of your room. Below gives the political parties in nigeria in alphabetical orders, even though some of them are being scrapped out, last i checked, they are remaining 31 and inec. All progressives change apc marked a new era in nigerias democracy.
Pdf ethnicity and development of political parties in nigeria. The alliance of prominent political parties such as action congress of nigeria acn. Nigeria has the appropriate credentials for greatness. Antifederalist debates, it featured two national parties competing for control of the presidency, congress, and. The development of political parties in nigeria dates back to the days of the struggle for political independent in the late 1940s, when the nationalists were at the preindependence and postindependence periods.
An assessment of political parties and democratic consolidation in nigerias fourth republic mike omilusi, phd department of political science ekiti state university, nigeria abstract democratic values and practices are crucial for democratic. Tanzania, rwanda, burundi, congobrazzaville and cote divoire, the merger of political. Theoretical perspective 79 languages, customs and traditions gives the country a rich cultural diversity. Political party financing and consolidation of democracy in nigeria, 1999 2015 dr ejikeme jombo nwagwu abstract. From failed opposition electoral alliance to merger. This article contains the full list of political parties in nigeria. Mar 20, 2019 as nigeria has this high number of human population, so is the number of political parties in the country as every politician wants to be governor or president. Thereafter, you will be merged with the closest ward to you. Haram, or forbidden for muslims to take part in any political or social activity associated with western society.
This paper will focus on opposition political parties in nigeria right from the first republic. The alliance of prominent political parties such as action congress of nigeria acn, congress for progressive change cpc and the all nigeria peoples party anpp into a formidable opposition called all progressives change apc marked a new era in nigeria s democracy. Although nigeria was the creation of european ambitions and rivalries, its peoples had their cherished history of freedom and independence before the arrival of the british. The three political parties were the national council of nigeria and the cameroons ncnc. He joined the national party of nigeria npn in january 1983 and subsequently attempted to reenter politics. Inec issues certificates to five newly registered parties. Cost of politics in nigeria westminster foundation for.
Political party financing and consolidation of democracy. Most people do not know but there are presently 68 inec recognized political parties in nigeria updated for 2018. The political culture in nigeria is characterized by intolerance, intimidation, thuggery, assassination, bitterness, apathy, indolence, money and ethnic politics. It was not unusual that the nationalism that became a political factor in nigeria during the interwar period derived both from an older political particularism and broad panafricanism rather than from any sense of a common nigerian nationality. Inec has about 28 duly registered websites in nigeria. Learn about the development of political parties in nigeria from 1923, when the first political party was formed in nigeria, up till 1999. May 31, 2017 after an unbroken 18 years of civil rule, the longest democratic experience in nigerias 57year history as an independent nation, a lot is still required of the countrys political parties. List of political parties in nigeria politics nigeria. The political parties, party members and supporters, candidates, and the electorate appropriated the media space. In the preindependence and the early post independence periods, political parties in nigeria were not ideologically based. Redefining political party structures in nigerias electoral. Nigerias political system and the people vanguard news. Before the elections, and based on the federal department of statistics projection of nigerias population to be 31,559,026, the political parties all agreed that there.
Democracy, political participation and good governance in. During the military government of general ibrahim babangida 19851993, an eightyear transition programme began. Statistics, structures and patterns 20062014 5 nigeria, however, resorting to force is not so much a peoples response to election rigging but a tool for, among others, politicians. Oct 23, 2014 the real crux of the debate is how political parties in nigeria are willing to switch from their electioneering campaign of personality politics coupled with trading of insults to actual policy issues which could be of more concern and importance to the electorates. Nigeria has a population of 3 million, a landmass of 923,768km2, a bountiful endowment in arable land, solid minerals and petroleumgas resources. The media coverage was very high and intense as shown by the mainstream media and the new media respectively. Nigeria s militant islamist group which has caused havoc in africas most populous country through a wave of bombings is fighting to overthrow the government and create an islamic state.
This paper will focus on opposition political parties in nigeria right from the first. It is a weak democracy that repudiates inalienable ethos of its true identity. An assessment of political parties and democratic consolidation in nigerias fourth republic mike omilusi, phd department of political science ekiti state university, nigeria abstract democratic values and practices are crucial for democratic institutionalization and the development of party strength. D department of public administration and local government university of nigeria, nsukka abstract it has been highlighted in this study that political apathy is a seemingly innocuous issue in the. Chairman of the commission, professor mahmood yakubu, while performing the ceremony, said the five new political parties henceforth have equal status with all other political parties in. The politics of opposition parties merger and the struggle.
He was detained for 10 months following a coup that brought muhammad buhari to power at the end of. As a result of this, the ingredients of democracy have not been able to thrive after many years of political independence in nigeria. When political parties merge into a new party, their particulars shall be removed from the register of political parties and their names, symbols, logos and colours shall not be registered by any political party for a period of five years. Preelectoral alliances and postelection coalitions of political parties have become. Nigerias four biggest opposition political parties are merging to contest the 2015 elections against president goodluck jonathans peoples democratic party. The first set of political parties to be formed in nigeria was formed in 1959, shortly before nigeria gained her independence from britain. Pages in category political parties in nigeria the following 26 pages are in this category, out of 26 total. Nov 27, 20 following the return to democratic rule in 1999, five political parties came into being, of these five parties, two were dominant, the peoples democratic party pdp and the defunct alliance for. Since the division of the republican party in the election of 1912, it has positioned itself as progressive and supporting labor in economic as well as social matters. The military devoted a lot of attention into devising a new type of party system they. Under nigerian law, any individual interested in running for any political office must be a.
Political parties and elections constitutionally give democracy legitimacy, credibility and general acceptance as essential elements of pluralistic democracies. From 19871991, mnsdnassara was the only legal party. The democratic party is one of two major political parties in the united states, and is the oldest political party in the world. Section 225 3a and b as well as 225 4 forbid political parties from foreign funding of any kind. Jun 17, 2017 chairman of the commission, professor mahmood yakubu, while performing the ceremony, said the five new political parties henceforth have equal status with all other political parties in nigeria. Following the return to democratic rule in 1999, five political parties came into being, of these five parties, two were dominant, the peoples democratic party pdp and the defunct alliance for.
Thus a large share of political violence occurs within parties. Inec registers apda, 4 other new political parties. General babangida went further than the earlier regime in the regulation of political parties, decreeing that only two political partiesthe social democratic party sdp and the national republican party nrcwould be registered. Contending issues and the way forward idike, adeline nnenna, ph. The history of political parties in nigeria began when the first political party in nigeria was established in 1959, the year before nigeria gained her independence from great britain. Nigerias four biggest opposition parties agree to merge. Democracy in nigeria is alien and its practice has proved difficult. Youth movement nym in 1936 as a new political party took the wind out of the sail of the. New datasets on political institutions and elections, 19722005. British colonialism created nigeria, joining diverse peoples and regions in an artificial political entity. An analysis grace malachi brown, phd department of history and diplomatic studies faculty of humanities rivers state university of education pmb 5047, rumuolumeni port harcourt, rivers state nigeria. The merger become a game changer in the one political party in 20. Abstract since 1999 up till the conduct of the 2015 general elections, nigerias party politics has exhibited the near dominance of the political space by the then ruling peoples.