Nigeria’s Political Parties

Overview of Nigerian Political Parties

Usually regionally/ethnically based. Multiparty system due to extreme

factionalism Some parties also form around powerful or

charismatic individuals Many parties formed around 1998 with the

Independent National Election Commission (INEC), which is headed by Attahiru Jega.

Peoples Democratic Party Started in 1998 Party of current president

Goodluck Jonathan Neoliberal stance on economic

policies and conservative stance on social issues.

Favors free-market policies Has more leftist stance towards

poverty and welfare Moderate advocate for state

autonomy and religious freedom

Congress for Progressive change

Founded 2009 Mohammadu Buhari ran as CPC

candidate in 2011 More left-wing than PDP Supports individual liberty, social welfare

for less priveleged, and a federal system of government

Break-off faction of ANPP (All Nigerian People’s Party)

Popular in the north

All Nigeria Peoples Party

Founded 1998 Buhari was the ANPP candidate in 2003

and 2007 before switching to the CPC. Popular in the north Very conservative, both socially and

economically. Currently the main opposition party of

the PDP

Action Congress of Nigeria Founded 2006 Formed as a merger of several

minor parties Classical liberalism: advocates

political and economic freedom and limited government with rule of law.

Strong presence in the west, southwest and north central regions.

Has 2 presidential aspirants: Nuhu Ribadu and Attahiru Bafarawa

Current Party Trends The top three parties are the PDP, ANPP, and ACN. Many parties have started to lose their regional

bases and now draw support from all over the country.

In order to reduce the number of parties, each had to earn at least 5% of the vote in 2/3s of the states to qualify for presidential or legislative elections.

Corruption is widespread; as a result, voters have switched to the “open secret ballot” system, in which voters registered at polling stations and wait until their results were posted locally to prevent multiple voting.

Current Party Trends (Cont.) A new political party, the All

Progressives Congress (APC) was formed in 2013 as a merger of the ACN, CPC, ANPP, and APGA: http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/02/13/the-merger-this-time/

INEC has been accused of corruption and has received criticism over the years, most recently for the deregistration of 28 political parties: http://allafrica.com/stories/201212080336.html

There are currently 27 parties registered with INEC

Interest Groups

DO play an important role in government

Civil society contributes to democratic ideals

Based on: religion, labor, business, rights and politics

Example: Muslim interest groups support the sharia law system in North

Labor Unions

Before 1980s: independent and powerful

Under Babangida regime: limited influence under state corporatism – govt. chooses which groups are represented, who leads them

Now: Central Labor Organization, with people approved by Babangida

Have protests: 2003, unions across country protested govt. raising oil prices

Strikes

National Labor Congress led a successful strike in 2007: workers across Nigeria protest govt. raise in fuel prices and taxes

Govt. agreed to rescind hikes, but still subsidizes oil

Recent Issues

January 1, 2012 – govt. removed oil subsidy

Unpopular because it raised prices of oil from N65 to over N140.

Protest video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kpc8gwCXDn8

Business Interests

Mostly agree with military regime Shares the spoils of elite classes Some in private sector (manufacturers,

butchers, car rental firms) Those outside govt. promote economic

reform

Human Rights Groups

Examples: students, teachers, civil liberty organizations, doctors, lawyers

Protested abuse of Babangida & Abacha regimes

Street demonstrations/protests in 1997-98

Now loosely connected, but could help rise of democracy

Mass Media

Mass Media Overview: Independence of the media Tradition/history of Nigerian media Examples of media sources Stepping stones in the media sector Examples of Nigerian mass media

Independence of the Media

Nigeria’s press is… Surprisingly well-developed (surprising due

to Nigeria’s classification as a less-developed nation)

Independent – exemplified through Nigeria’s resurgence of newspapers even after General Abacha attempted to close the most influential and respected Nigerian newspapers/magazines (1994)

Independence originates from Azikiwe’s “West African Pilot,” the first independent newspaper

Tradition/history of Nigerian Media Characteristically lively Tradition established by history – Henry

Townsend established “Iwe Iroyn” paper Mass media perpetuates regional cleavage

(north vs. south): southern newspapers tend to be the most outspoken regarding social, political, economic issues, while fewer outspoken newspapers and media sources exist in the north

Mass media adds to region-based stereotypes as, the southern newspapers exhibit a more aggressive tone (further creating a negative attitude towards northerners)

Examples of Media Sources

Popular media sources include… “Post Nigeria” (English) “Eagle Reporter” (selective concerning

audience – distributed to Abuja, Lagos, Jos, Kano, Kabuna, Portharcourt)

“Liberty Report” “Niger Delta Standard” There are hundreds of different

newspaper sources Vision FM (Abuja); 92.9 ASO Radio (Abuja); 94.7

Stepping Stones in the Media Sector 2007 election fraud portrayed in the “Post Nigeria:” this

southern newspaper demonstrated that the national legislature and position of president were corrupted under fraud regarding elections by means of extra unused ballots illegally marked and stuffed into ballot boxes

Journalism: southern journals expressed criticism of explicit, unjust governmental actions

Radio: serves as main source of information in Nigeria, as all 36 Nigerian states run their own radio stations (exemplifies independence of the media at state level

Statistic: 24 people per 100 people read the daily newspaper (average rate of

Elections in NigeriaStephen Idol

Presidential Elections

Candidate must win majority to win election

If no one wins majority in first round, second ballot election may be held

Presidential candidate must also receive at least 25% of vote in at least 2/3 of states

Legislative Elections

Nigeria has Senate and House of Representatives

Senate has 109 senators (three from each of 36 states and one from capital of Abuja)

Senate elected by popular vote, first-past-the-post plurality, SMD’s

House of Representatives has 360 members, also elected by popular vote from SMD’s first-past-the-post plurality system

Election History: 2003 Elections

2003 elections widely considered to be fraudulent by international observers

Several politicians, including Marshall Henry of All Nigeria People’s Party, assassinated

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared 6 million votes to be fraudulent, removed them from voter rolls

INEC’s actions unfortunately didn’t stop fraud

Obasanjo won election

2007 Elections:

Obasanjo tried to run for third term, legislature would not pass law to let him do so

INEC declared VP Abubakar ineligible to run, but Supreme Court ruled that INEC had no such power

Flawed last-minute ballots printed to accommodate Supreme Court ruling

2007 Elections Continued

Many problems:› Shortage of ballots› Ballot-box theft› Delay in ballot delivery› Lack of voter privacy› Fraud

Many voters protested; situation became violent and approximately 200 people died in riots

Yar’Adua of Muslim north became president

2011 Elections

Goodluck Jonathan of PDP won election as incumbent (Yar’Adua died halfway through term and Jonathan became president)

Considered great improvement over 2007 elections (less fraud)

However, elections still revealed north-south, Muslim-Christian cleavages

Goodluck Jonathan, southern Christian, dominated in southern states

Muhammadu Buhari, northern Muslim, dominated northern states

Widespread violent protest, arson, and bombings in northern cities; military had to restore order

2011 Electoral Map

2011 Electoral Data

59%

32%

5%4%

Nigeria 2011 Presdidential Election Results

Goodluck Jonathan, PDP Muhammadu Buhari, CPC Nuh Ribadu, ANC Other

Sources

http://www.inecnigeria.org/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/ Wood Book