The emergence of democracy in Nigeria on May 1999 ended 16 years of consecutive military rule. Olusegun Obasanjo inherited a country suffering economic stagnation and the deterioration of most democratic institutions. Obasanjo, a former general, was admired for his stand against the Abacha
dictatorship, his record of returning the federal government to civilian rule in 1979, and his claim to represent all Nigerians regardless of religion
The new President took over a country that faced many problems, including a dysfunctional bureaucracy, collapsed infastructure, and a military that wanted a reward for returning quietly to the barracks. The President moved quickly and retired hundreds of military officers holding political positions, established a blue-ribbon panel to investigate human rights violations, released scores of persons held without charge, and rescinded numerous questionable licenses and contracts left by the previous regimes. The government also moved to recover millions of dollars in funds secreted to overseas accounts
Most civil society leaders and Nigerians witnessed marked improvements in human rights and freedom of the press under Obasanjo. As Nigeria works out representational democracy, conflicts persist between the Executive and Legislative branches over appropriations and other proposed legislation. A sign of federalism has been the growing visibility of state governors and the inherent friction between Abuja and the state capitals over resource allocation.
Communal violence has plagued the Obasanjo government since its inception. In May 1999 violence erupted in Kaduna State over the succession of an Emir resulting in more than 100 deaths. In November 1999, the army destroyed the town of Odi, Bayelsa State and killed scores of civilians in retaliation for the murder of 12 policemen by a local gang. In Kaduna in February–May 2000 over 1,000 people died in rioting over the introduction of criminal Shar'ia in the State. Hundreds of ethnic Hausa were killed in reprisal attacks in south-eastern Nigeria. In September 2001, over 2,000 people were killed in inter-religious rioting in Jos. In October 2001, hundreds were killed and thousands displaced in communal violence that spread across the states of Benue, Taraba, and Nasarawa. On 1 October 2001 Obasanjo announced the formation of a National Security Commission to address the issue of communal violence. Obasanjo was reelected in 2003.
The new president faces the daunting task of rebuilding a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement. Additionally, the Obasanjo administration must defuse longstanding ethnic and religious tensions if it hopes to build a foundation for economic growth and political stability. Currently, there is conflict in the Niger Delta over the environmental destruction caused by oil drilling and the ongoing poverty in the oil-rich region
A further major problem created by the oil industry is the drilling of pipelines by the local population in an attempt to drain off the petroleum for personal use or as a source of income. This often leads to major explosions and high death tolls. Particularly notable disasters in this area have been: 1) October 1998, Jesse, 1100 deaths, 2) July 2000, Jesse, 250 deaths, 3) September 2004, near Lagos, 60 deaths, 4) May 2006, Ilado, approx. 150–200 deaths (current estimate).
Two militants of an unknown faction shot and killed Ustaz Ja'afar Adam, a northern Muslim religious leader and Kano State official, along with one of his disciples in a mosque in Kano during dawn prayers on 13 April 2007. Obasanjo had recently stated on national radio that he would "deal firmly" with election fraud and violence advocated by "highly placed individuals." His comments were interpreted by some analysts as a warning to his Vice President and 2007 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar.
In the 2007 general election, Umaru Yar'Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, both of the People's Democratic Party, were elected President and Vice President, respectively. The election was marred by electoral fraud, and denounced by other candidates and international observers.
Yar'Adua's sickness and Jonathan's successions
Yar'Adua's presidency was fraught with uncertainty as media reports said he suffered from kidney and heart disease. In November 2009, he fell ill and was flown out of the country to Saudi Arabia for medical attention. He remained incommunicado for 50 days, by which time rumours were rife that he had died. This continued until the BBC aired an interview that was allegedly done via telephone from the president's sick bed in Saudi Arabia. As of January 2010, he was still abroad.
In February 2010, Goodluck Jonathan began serving as acting President in the absence of Yaradua. In May 2010, the Nigerian government learned of Yar'Adua's death after a long battle with existing health problems and an undisclosed illness. This lack of communication left the new acting President Jonathan with no knowledge of his predecessor's plans. Yar'Adua's Hausa-Fulani background gave him a political base in the northern regions of Nigeria, while Goodluck does not have the same ethnic and religious affiliations. This lack of primary ethnic support makes Jonathan a target for militaristic overthrow or regional uprisings in the area. With the increase of resource spending and oil exportation, Nigerian GDP and HDI (Human Development Index) have risen phenomenally since the economically stagnant rule of Sani Abacha, but the primary population still survives on less than US$2 per day. Goodluck Jonathan called for new elections and stood for re-election in April 2011, which he won. However,his re-election bid in 2015 was truncated with the emergence of former military ruler General Muhammadu Buhari, mainly on his inability to quell the rising insecurity in the country. General Muhammadu Buhari was declared the winner of the 2015 presidential elections. General Muhammadu Buhari took over the helm of affairs in May 2015 after a peaceful transfer of power from the Jonathan led administration.
List of past leaders in Nigeria from the commencement of the forth republic
| GENERAL OLUSEGUN AREMU OKIKIOLA MATTHEW OBASANJO (RTD) | MAY 29, 1999 – 29 MAY, 2007 | |
| UMARU MUSA YAR'ADUA | 29 MAY, 2007 - 5 MAY, 2010 | |
| DR. GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN | 6 MAY, 2010 - 29 MAY, 2015 | |
| MUHAMMADU BUHARI | 29 MAY, 2015 - DATE |
Political parties
There are 18 recognized political parties in Nigeria.There are a great number of parties as a direct result of corruption and chaos that has ensued in Nigeria surrounding the federal government and elections for years.[29] The vast number of parties has proved to be difficult to monitor.The two major parties are the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress, both of which have held the presidency and seats in the National Assembly for extended periods of time. As opposed to parties in other nations that represent a slew of political opinions that the public can align themselves with, parties in Nigeria act more so as a means through which prominent figures can gain power and influence, and there are so many because they often switch parties in order to find the one to give them the best chance of achieving authority.
Political parties have been an important aspect of Nigerian government both before and after independence was achieved from the British in 1960. Parties allow for political competition to take place, for the citizenry to find people who represent their ideas and interests in government, and for the introduction of new leaders and perspectives into Nigerian life. Many Nigerians do not understand the political party system because there are so many options and their platforms are unclear to the public. This remains an issue in Nigeria because it marginalizes those who are uneducated or uninvolved in government. Also, there seems to be a tendency for people in Nigeria to support parties based on ethnic of religious divisions, particularly along the Muslim-Christian line of division.
The 18 political parties are: Accord, Action Alliance, Action Democratic Party, Action Peoples Party, African Action Congress, African Democratic Congress, All Progressives Congress, All Progressives Grand Alliance, Allied Peoples Movement, Boot Party, Labour Party, National Rescue Movement, New Nigeria Peoples Party, Peoples Democratic Party, Peoples Redemption Party, Social Democratic Party, Young Progressive Party, Zenith Labour Party.
Electoral system and recent elections
The president and members of the National Assembly of Nigeria are elected by members of the population who are at least 18 years old. The National Electoral Commission is responsible for monitoring elections and ensuring that the results are correct and not fraudulent. The winner of a position is elected through the first-past-the-post system that is used in Great Britain.
Nigeria has faced numerous bouts with fraudulent elections, particularly noteworthy is the general election that took place in 2007. This election was reportedly marred by ballot-rigging, underage voting, violence, intimidation, and an overall absence of clarity and accuracy from the National Electoral Commission.
Presidential elections of Nigeria, 2015
House of Representatives
Senate
Presidential election of Nigeria, 2019
| Buhari | 53.96% | ||||
| Jonathan | 44.96% | ||||
| Margin: 2,571,759 | |||||
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Muhammadu Buhari | All Progressives Congress | 15,424,921 | 53.96 | |
|
|
Goodluck Jonathan | People's Democratic Party | 12,853,162 | 44.96 | |
| Adebayo Ayeni | African Peoples Alliance | 53,537 | 0.19 | ||
| Ganiyu Galadima | Allied Congress Party of Nigeria | 40,311 | 0.14 | ||
| Sam Eke | Citizens Popular Party | 36,300 | 0.13 | ||
| Rufus Salau | Alliance for Democracy | 30,673 | 0.11 | ||
| Mani Ahmad | African Democratic Congress | 29,665 | 0.10 | ||
| Allagoa Chinedu | Peoples Party of Nigeria | 24,475 | 0.09 | ||
| Martin Onovo | National Conscience Party | 24,455 | 0.09 | ||
| Tunde Anifowose-Kelani | Accord Alliance | 22,125 | 0.08 | ||
| Chekwas Okorie | United Progressive Party | 18,220 | 0.06 | ||
| Comfort Sonaiya | KOWA Party | 13,076 | 0.05 | ||
| Godson Okoye | United Democratic Party | 9,208 | 0.03 | ||
| Ambrose Albert Owuru | Hope Party | 7,435 | 0.03 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 844,519 | – | |||
| Total | 29,432,083 | 100 | |||
| Registered voters/turnout | 67,422,005 | 43.65 | |||
| Source: INEC | |||||
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
|
|
All Progressives Congress | 100 |
| ||
|
|
People's Democratic Party | 125 |
| ||
|
|
Other parties | 10 |
| ||
| Invalid/blank votes | – | – | – | ||
| Total | 233 | – | |||
| Registered voters/turnout | – | – | |||
| Source: Reuters Nigeria Tribune | |||||
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
|
|
All Progressives Congress | 60 |  19
| ||
|
|
People's Democratic Party | 70 | 15
| ||
|
|
Labour Party |
| |||
| Invalid/blank votes | – | – | – | ||
| Total | 109 | – | |||
| Registered voters/turnout | – | – | |||
| Source: Movies Download | |||||
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | ||
|
|
Muhammadu Buhari | All Progressives Congress | 15,191,847 | 55.60 | |
|
|
Atiku Abubakar | People's Democratic Party | 11,262,978 | 41.22 | |
|
|
Felix Nicolas | Peoples Coalition Party | 110,196 | 0.40 | |
|
|
Obadiah Mailafia | African Democratic Congress | 97,874 | 0.36 | |
|
|
Gbor John Wilson Terwase | All Progressives Grand Alliance | 66,851 | 0.24 | |
|
|
Yabagi Sani Yusuf | Action Democratic Party | 54,930 | 0.20 | |
|
|
Akhimien Davidson Isibor | Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria | 41,852 | 0.15 | |
|
|
Ibrahim Aliyu Hassan | African Peoples Alliance | 36,866 | 0.13 | |
|
|
Donald Duke | Social Democratic Party | 34,746 | 0.13 | |
|
|
Omoyele Sowore | African Action Congress | 33,953 | 0.12 | |
|
|
Da-Silva Thomas Ayo | Save Nigeria Congress | 28,680 | 0.10 | |
|
|
Shitu Mohammed Kabir | Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance | 26,558 | 0.10 | |
|
|
Yusuf Mamman Dantalle | Allied Peoples' Movement | 26,039 | 0.10 | |
|
|
Kingsley Moghalu | Young Progressive Party | 21,886 | 0.08 | |
|
|
Ameh Peter Ojonugwa | Progressive Peoples Alliance | 21,822 | 0.08 | |
|
|
Ositelu Isaac Babatunde | Accord Party | 19,209 | 0.07 | |
|
|
Fela Durotoye | Alliance for New Nigeria | 16,779 | 0.06 | |
|
|
Bashayi Isa Dansarki | Masses Movement of Nigeria | 14,540 | 0.05 | |
|
|
Osakwe Felix Johnson | Democratic People's Party | 14,483 | 0.05 | |
|
|
Abdulrashid Hassan Baba | Action Alliance | 14,380 | 0.05 | |
|
|
Nwokeafor Ikechukwu Ndubuisi | Advanced Congress of Democrats | 11,325 | 0.04 | |
|
|
Maina Maimuna Kyari | Northern People's Congress | 10,081 | 0.04 | |
|
|
Victor Okhai | Providence Peoples Congress | 8,979 | 0.03 | |
|
|
Chike Ukaegbu | Advanced Allied Party | 8,902 | 0.03 | |
|
|
Oby Ezekwesili | Allied Congress Party of Nigeria | 7,223 | 0.03 | |
|
|
Ibrahim Usman Alhaji | National Rescue Movement | 6,229 | 0.02 | |
|
|
Ike Keke | New Nigeria People's Party | 6,111 | 0.02 | |
|
|
Moses Ayibiowu | National Unity Party | 5,323 | 0.02 | |
|
|
Awosola Williams Olusola | Democratic Peoples Congress | 5,242 | 0.02 | |
|
|
Muhammed Usman Zaki | Labour Party | 5,074 | 0.02 | |
|
|
Eke Samuel Chukwuma | Green Party of Nigeria | 4,924 | 0.02 | |
|
|
Nwachukwu Chuks Nwabuikwu | All Grassroots Alliance | 4,689 | 0.02 | |
|
|
Hamza al-Mustapha | Peoples Party of Nigeria | 4,622 | 0.02 | |
|
|
Shipi Moses Godia | All Blended Party | 4,523 | 0.02 | |
|
|
Chris Okotie | Fresh Democratic Party | 4,554 | 0.02 | |
|
|
Tope Fasua | Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party | 4,340 | 0.02 | |
|
|
Onwubuya | Freedom And Justice Party | 4,174 | 0.02 | |
|
|
Asukwo Mendie Archibong | Nigeria For Democracy | 4,096 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Ahmed Buhari | Sustainable National Party | 3,941 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Salisu Yunusa Tanko | National Conscience Party | 3,799 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Shittu Moshood Asiwaju | Alliance National Party | 3,586 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Obinna Uchechukwu Ikeagwuonu | All People's Party | 3,585 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Balogun Isiaka Ishola | United Democratic Party | 3,170 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Obaje Yusufu Ameh | Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party | 3,104 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Chief Umenwa Godwin | All Grand Alliance Party | 3,071 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Israel Nonyerem Davidson, | Reform and Advancement Party | 2,972 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Ukonga Frank | Democratic Alternative | 2,769 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Santuraki Hamisu | Mega Party of Nigeria | 2,752 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies | Mass Action Joint Alliance | 2,651 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim | Peoples Trust | 2,613 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Ali Soyode | Yes Electorates Solidarity | 2,394 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Nsehe Nseobong | Restoration Party of Nigeria | 2,388 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Ojinika Geff Chizee | Coalition for Change | 2,391 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Rabia Yasai Hassan Cengiz | National Action Council | 2,279 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Eunice Atuejide | National Interest Party | 2,248 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Dara John | Alliance of Social Democrats | 2,146 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Fagbenro-byron Samuel Adesina | Kowa Party | 1,911 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Emmanuel Etim | Change Nigeria Party | 1,874 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Chukwu-Eguzolugo Sunday Chikendu | Justice Must Prevail Party | 1,853 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Madu Nnamdi Edozie | Independent Democrats | 1,845 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Osuala Chukwudi John | Re-build Nigeria Party | 1,792 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Albert Owuru Ambrose | Hope Democratic Party | 1,663 | 0.01 | |
|
|
David Esosa Ize-Iyamu | Better Nigeria Progressive Party | 1,649 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Inwa Ahmed Sakil | Unity Party of Nigeria | 1,631 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Akpua Robinson | National Democratic Liberty Party | 1,588 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Mark Emmanuel Audu | United Patriots | 1,561 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Ishaka Paul Ofemile | Nigeria Elements Progressive Party | 1,524 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Kriz David | Liberation Movement | 1,438 | 0.01 | |
|
|
Ademola Babatunde Abidemi | Nigeria Community Movement Party | 1,378 | 0.01 | |
|
|
A. Edosomwan Johnson | National Democratic Liberty Party | 1,192 | 0.00 | |
|
|
Angela Johnson | Alliance for a United Nigeria | 1,092 | 0.00 | |
|
|
Abah Lewis Elaigwu | Change Advocacy Party | 1,111 | 0.00 | |
|
|
Nwangwu Uchenna Peter | We The People Nigeria | 732 | 0.00 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 1,289,607 | – | |||
| Total | 28,614,190 | 100 | |||
| Registered voters/turnout | 82,344,107 | 34.75 | |||
| Source: Vanguard | |||||
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