AFRICAN ELECTIONS DATABASE
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Elections in Nigeria
 
Political Profile
Political System: Emerging Democracy
President: Umaru Musa Yar'Adua (PDP) [since 29 May 2007; elected 2007] The President is elected by direct popular vote for a 4-year term. Electoral System: Two Round (Run-off).
National Assembly [bicameral]
--Senate (109 Seats) Members are elected by direct popular vote in 36 multi-member constituencies corresponding to the country's states (3 Senators per state) and 1 single-member constituency representing the Federal Capital Territory using the first-past-the-post system; members serve 4-year terms.
--House of Representatives (360 Seats) Members are elected by direct popular vote in single-member constituencies using the first-past-the-post system; members serve 4-year terms.
Political Situation since Independence
1960-1966 Democracy
1966-1979 Military Regime
1979-1983 Democracy
1983-1989 Military Regime
1989-1993 Restricted Democratic Practice
1993-1998 Military Regime
1998-1999 Transitional Government
1999-2006 Democracy
2006-        Emerging Democracy
2007 Freedom House Rating: Political Rights - 4, Civil Liberties - 4, Status: Partly Free
Next Scheduled Presidential Election: 2011
Next Scheduled Senatorial Election: 2011
Next Scheduled House of Representatives Election: 2011
Political Parties: AC - Action Congress, AD - Alliance for Democracy (center-left), ADC - African Democratic Congress, AG - Action Group, ALP - African Liberation Party, ANPP - All Nigeria People’s Party (conservative), APGA - All Progressives Grand Alliance, APLP - All Peoples Liberation Party, APP - All People’s Party (center-right), APS - African Political System, ARP - African Renaissance Party, BNPP - Better Nigeria Progressive Party, CPP - Citizens Popular Party, DA - Democratic Alternative, DP - Dynamic Party, DPP - Democratic People's Party, FRESH - Fresh Democratic Party, GNPP - Greater Nigerian People’s Party, HDP - Hope Democratic Party, IU - Igala Union, ITU - Igbira Tribal Union, JP - Justice Party, KPP - Kano People’s Party, LDPN - Liberal Democratic Party of Nigeria, LSUF - Lagos State United Front, MGA - Mabolaje Grand Alliance, MDF - Midwest Democratic Front, MDJ - Movement for Democracy and Justice, MMN - Masses Movement of Nigeria, NAC - National Action Council, NAP - Nigeria Advance Party, NCNC - National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons/National Council of Nigerian Citizens, NCP - National Conscience Party, ND - New Democrats, NDC - Niger Delta Congress, NDP - National Democratic Party, NEPU - Northern Elements Progressive Union, NMDC - National Majority Democratic Party, NNDP - Nigerian National Democratic Party, NNPP - New Nigeria Peoples Party, NPC - Nigeria People's Congress, NPC - Northern People's Congress, NPF - Northern Progressive Front, NPN - National Party of Nigeria, NPP - Nigerian People’s Party, NRC - National Republican Convention, NUP - National Unity Party, PAC - Progressive Action Congress, PDP - People’s Democratic Party (center-left), PMP - Peoples Mandate Party, PPA - Progressive People's Alliance, PRP - People’s Redemption Party, PSD - Party for Social Democracy, RP - Republican Party, RPN - Republican Party of Nigeria, SDP - Social Democratic Party, UMBC - United Middle-Belt Congress, UNPP - United Nigeria People's Party, UPN - Unity Party of Nigeria, ZCP - Zamfara Commoners Party
Coalitions: Northern People's Congress-led Coalition [Formed soon after the 1959 House of Representatives Election] Member Parties include the Northern People’s Congress (NPC), Igala Union (IU), Igbira Tribal Union (ITU), Niger Delta Congress (NDC), and Mabolaje Grand Alliance (MAG); National Council of Nigeria & the Cameroons-led Coalition [Formed soon after the 1959 House of Representatives Election] Two party coalition consisting of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) and the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU); Nigerian National Alliance (NNA) [Contested the 1964 House of Representatives Election] Member Parties include the Northern People’s Congress (NPC), Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP), Midwest Democratic Front (MDF), Dynamic Party (DP), Niger Delta Congress (NDC), Lagos State United Front (LSUF), and Republican Party (RP); United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA) [Contested the 1964 House of Representatives Election] Member Parties include the National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC), Action Group (AG), Northern Progressive Front (NPF), Kano People’s Party (KPP), Northern Element Progressive Union (NEPU), United Middle-Belt Congress (UMBC), and Zamfara Commoners Party (ZCP); Alliance for Democracy-All People’s Party (AD-APP) [Contested the 1999 Presidential Election]
 
Election Results
 
 
Presidential: 1979, 1983, 1993, 1999, 2003, 2007
Legislative
--House of Representatives: 1959, 1964, 1979, 1983, 1992, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2007
--Senate: 1979, 1983, 1992, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2007
Referenda
--Sub-National: 1959, 1961,1963
 
 
12 December 1959 House of Representatives Election

Registered Voters

9,036,083

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

7,185,555 (79.5%)

Party/Coalition

Number of Seats (312)

Northern People's Congress - led Coalition

148

 

Northern People's Congress (NPC)

  

134

Mabolaje Grand Alliance (MGA)

06

Igala Union (IU)

04

Igbira Tribal Union (ITU)

01

Niger Delta Congress (NDC)

01

Independents

02

National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons - led Coalition

89

 

National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC)

  

81

Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU)

08

Action Group - led Coaltion

75

 

Action Group (AG)

  

73

Independents

02

 
December 1964/18 March 1965 House of Representatives Election*

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party/[Coalition]

Number of Seats (312)

Nigerian National Alliance [NNA]

198

 

Northern People’s Congress (NPC)

  

162

Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP)

36

Midwest Democratic Front (MDF)

-

Dynamic Party (DP)

-

Niger Delta Congress (NDC)

-

Lagos State United Front (LSUF)

-

Republican Party (RP)

-

United Progressive Grand Alliance [UPGA]

109

 

National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC)

  

84

Action Group (AG)

21

Northern Progressive Front (NPF)

04

Kano People’s Party (KPP)

-

Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU)

-

United Middle-Belt Congress (UMBC)

-

Zamfara Commoners Party (ZCP)

-

Independents

05

*Due to a boycott of the December Elections in some Eastern, Lagos, and Midwest constituencies, supplementary elections were held in March 1965.
 
July 1979 National Assembly Election
Senate (07 July 1979)

Registered Voters

48,499,091

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

House of Representatives (14 July 1979)

Registered Voters

48,499,091

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (approx. 32%)

Party

Senate

House of Representatives

Number of Seats  (95)

Number of Seats (449)

National Party of Nigeria (NPN)

36

168

Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN)

28

111

Nigerian People’s Party (NPP)

16

78

Greater Nigerian People’s Party (GNPP)

08

43

People’s Redemption Party (PRP)

07

49

 
11 August 1979 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

48,499,091

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Invalid/Blank Votes

Not Available

Total Valid Votes

16,846,633

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Shehu Shagari (NPN)

5,668,857

33.77%

Obafemi Awolowo (UPN)

4,916,651

29.18%

Nnamdi Azikiwe (NPP)

2,822,523

16.75%

Aminu Kano (PRP)

1,732,113

10.28%

Waziri Ibrahim (GNPP)

1,686,489

10.02%

 

Registered Voters

 65,300,000 (approx.)

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Candidate (Party)

% of Votes

Shehu Shagari (NPN)

47.33%

Obafemi Awolowo (UPN)

30.98%

Nnamdi Azikiwe (NPP)

13.88%

Aminu Kano (PRP)

4.08%

Waziri Ibrahim (GNPP)

2.51%

Tunji Braithwaite (NAP)

1.21%

 
Senate (20 August 1983)

Registered Voters

 65,300,000 (approx.)

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

House of Representatives (27 August 1983)

Registered Voters

 65,300,000 (approx.)

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (approx. 39%)

Party

Senate

House of Representatives

Number of Seats  (96)

Number of Seats (450)

National Party of Nigeria (NPN)

60

306

Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN)

16

51

Nigerian People’s Party (NPP)

12

48

People’s Redemption Party (PRP)

05

41

Greater Nigerian People’s Party (GNPP)

02

-

Vacant

01

04

 
Senate

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

House of Representatives

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party

Senate

House of Representatives

Number of Seats  (91)

Number of Seats (593)

Social Democratic Party (SDP)

53

314

National Republican Convention (NRC)

38

275

*Some sources give the following set of seat distribution figures: Senate - Social Democratic Party (SDP) - 52, National Republican Convention (NRC) - 37, Vacant - 2; House of Representatives - Social Democratic Party (SDP) - 314, National Republican Convention (NRC) - 275, Vacant - 4.
 
12 June 1993 Presidential Election*

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Invalid/Blank Votes

Not Available

Total Valid Votes

14,235,931

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Moshood K.O. Abiola (SDP)

8,357,246

58.71%

Bashir Tofa (NRC)

5,878,685

41.29%

*Soon after the Presidential Election, the Babangida administration annulled the election results. This led to his resignation after widespread protests and an Interim National Government, led by Ernest Shonekan took power.
 
25 April 1998 National Assembly Election*
Senate

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

House of Representatives

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

*These elections were held during the military regime of General Sani Abacha in which all political parties participating were affiliated with the government while the true opposition was prevented from participating in the poll. Voter turnout was extremely low and the result was soon after annulled by the authorities.
 
20 February 1999 National Assembly Election
Senate

Registered Voters

57,938,945

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

24,386,247 (42.1%)

House of Representatives

Registered Voters

57,938,945

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

23,573,407 (40.7%)

Party

Senate

House of Representatives

% of Votes

Number of Seats (109)

% of Votes

Number of Seats (360)

People’s Democratic Party (PDP)

56.4%

59

57.1%

206

All People’s Party (APP)

31.2%

29

30.6%

74

Alliance for Democracy (AD)

12.4%

20

12.4%

68

Vacant/Undeclared Seats

-

01

-

12

 
27 February 1999 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

57,938,945

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

30,280,052 (52.3%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     431,611

Total Valid Votes

29,848,441

Candidate (Party) [Coalition]

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Olusegun Obasanjo (PDP)

18,738,154

62.78%

Olu Falae (AD) [AD-APP]

11,110,287

37.22%

 
12 April 2003 National Assembly Election
Senate

Registered Voters

60,823,022

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

29,995,171 (49.3%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     965,064

Total Valid Votes

29,030,107

House of Representatives

Registered Voters

60,823,022

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

30,386,270 (50.0%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

  1,153,200

Total Valid Votes

29,233,070

Party

Senate

House of Representatives

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Number of Seats (109)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Number of Seats (360)*

People’s Democratic Party (PDP)

15,585,538

53.69%

76

15,927,807

54.49%

223

All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP)

8,091,783

27.87%

27

8,021,531

27.44%

96

Alliance for Democracy (AD)

2,828,082

9.74%

06

2,711,972

9.28%

34

United Nigeria People's Party (UNPP)

789,705

2.72%

-

803,432

2.75%

02

National Democratic Party (NDP)

459,462

1.58%

-

561,161

1.92%

01

All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)

429,073

1.48%

-

397,147

1.36%

02

People's Redemption Party (PRP)

204,929

0.71%

-

222,938

0.76%

01

Others

641,535

2.21%

-

587,082

2.01%

-

*There was one vacant seat.
 
19 April 2003 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

60,823,022

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

42,018,735 (69.1%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

  2,538,246

Total Valid Votes

39,480,489

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Olusegun Obasanjo (PDP)

24,456,140

61.94%

Muhammadu Buhari (ANPP)

12,710,022

32.19%

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (APGA)

1,297,445

3.29%

Jim Nwobodo (UNPP)

169,609

0.43%

Gani Fawehimi (NCP)

161,333

0.41%

Sarah Jubril (PAC)

157,560

0.40%

Ike Nwachukwu (NDP)

132,997

0.34%

Chris Okotie (JP)

119,547

0.30%

Balarabe Musa (PRP)

100,765

0.26%

Arthur Nwankwo (PMP)

57,720

0.15%

Emmanuel Okereke (APLP)

26,921

0.07%

Kalu Idika Kalu (NNPP)

23,830

0.06%

Muhammadu Dikko Yusuf (MDJ)

21,403

0.05%

Yahaya Ndu (ARP)

11,565

0.03%

Abayomi Ferreira (DA)

6,727

0.02%

Tunji Braithwaite (NAP)

6,932

0.02%

Iheanyichukwu Godswill Nnaji (BNPP)

5,987

0.02%

Olapade Agoro (NAC)

5,756

0.01%

Pere Ajuwa (LDPN)

4,473

0.01%

Mojisola Adekunle Obasanjo (MMN)

3,757

0.01%

 
21 April 2007 Presidential Election*

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (PDP)

24,638,063

%

Muhammadu Buhari (ANPP)

6,605,299

%

Atiku Abubakar (AC)

2,637,848

%

Orji Uzor Kalu (PPA)

608,803

%

Attahiru Bafarawa (DPP)

289,324

%

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (APGA)

155,947

%

Pere Ajuwa (AD)

89,241

%

Chris Okotie (FRESH)

74,049

%

Patrick Utomi (ADC)

50,849

%

Asakarawon Olapere (NPC)

33,771

%

Ambrose Owuru (HDP)

28,519

%

Arthur Nwankwo (PMP)

24,164

%

Emmanuel Okereke (ALP)

22,677

%

Lawrence Adedoyin (APS)

22,409

%

Aliyu Habu Fari (NDP)

21,974

%

Galtima Liman (NNPP)

21,665

%

Maxi Okwu (CPP)

14,027

%