Aug 22, 2019 history of nigeria nigeria has a long history that dates back as far as 9000 b. The 1999 elections, which brought a retired general, olusegun. Nigerias 2015 presidential election has been a landmark in the countrys political history. The federal electoral commission fedeco, established in 1960 conducted the immediate postindependence federal and regional elections of 1964 and 1965. History of nigeria election information in nigeria. From the 1500s to the 1800s, many people from the land now called nigeria and other parts of west africa were taken away and turned into slaves by europeans, and they were sent to work in the americas. The high level of success of nigerias 2015 general elections was unexpected, considering the difficult political and security environment in which the elections were conducted. The theoretical framework for the study is cultural relativism. Journal of nigeria studies volume 1, number 2, fall 2012 political leadership and corruption in nigeria since 1960. Since independence, nigeria has been desirous of a credible voting system because of the irregularities that trailed previous elections. Nigerias electoral politics from independence has been tumultuous.
Having firmly and solemnly resolve, to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation under god, dedicated to the promotion of interafrican. However, the implication of nigeria s electoral history for the enthronement of a democratic order is yet to be exhaustively explored. Nigeria under umaru musa yaradua and goodluck jonathan. Profiting from the weaknesses and strengths of its predecessors, it treats not only nigerian politics, administration and economy but focuses also on culture and social history. Violence has continued to mar the conduct of almost all general elections, making free and fair elections a desideratum. Today, many people related to those slaves still live in america, though they are no longer slaves. By examining key themes such as colonialism, religion, slavery, nationalism, and the economy, the authors show how nigerias history has been swayed by the. Nigerians elects on the federal level a head of state the president of nigeria and a legislature the national assembly.
The federal electoral commission fedeco, established in. This file is licensed under the creative commons attributionshare alike 4. Abiola the supposed winner to emerge as a president by the. In view of this, the thrust of this paper is a reflection on the tides of electoral violence and the attendant precipitating factors that make free and fair election pretty difficult in nigeria. First, the spread of islam began a millennium ago, predominantly in the north but later on extended to southwestern nigeria. This is a particularly important moment in africas history. The african ejournals project has digitized full text of. Apr 26, 2018 nigeria has a rich history of political affairs that changed the direction of the country.
The right to vote in nigeria has a rather chequered history. History of political parties in nigeria nigerian finder. The independent national electoral commission inec was established by the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of nigeria to among other things organize elections into various political offices in the country. Nigeria is known for being a large country, and one of the richest in africa. The national democratic institute ndi is conducting an international observation mission to analyze the electoral process before, during and after the elections.
The research concludes that, the 2015 presidential election is different to some extent with the previous presidential elections in nigeria as a. Ndi fielded a preelection assessment team in nigeria from oct. Out of these five elections, the first four elections were, expectedly, won by the peoples democratic party pdp, which, during this. Geographical, historical and political profiles of nigeria. It operates the presidential system of government with three distinct but complementary arms namely the executive, the legislature and the judiciary, each acting as a check on. General studies directorate abubakar tafawa balewa university, bauchi, nigeria email. Within this volume is the complete reproduction of the legal framework governing elections in nigeria. Elections were therefore held in 312 single member constituencies nationwide. The independent national electoral commission inec, set up in 1998, is the electoral body which oversees elections in nigeria.
The election was originally scheduled to be held on 2 april, but was later postponed to 4 april. Apr 28, 2015 this file contains additional information such as exif metadata which may have been added by the digital camera, scanner, or software program used to create or digitize it. The elections had initially been scheduled for 16 february, but the electoral commission postponed the vote by a week at 03. Nigeria as a result of the influence of political behaviour and voting pattern of the electorates. Nigeria election watch national democratic institute. Not many people know about the first general election in nigeria that happened 96 years ago. However, the elections were soon tainted by allegations of corruption and tainted. Tracing the history of the establishment of the first television station in nigeria, egbon 1982 writes that television transmission began in western nigeria on october 31, 1959. Universal adult suffrage became a reality in nigeria in the 1979 elections when women in the north were. Thus far, elections have served the interests mainly of the powerful elite and have had little, if any, signiicant impact on.
This service which was initiated by a regional government was not only the first in nigeria, but remains today the oldest in the whole of the african continent. First, the spread of islam, predominantly in the north but later in southwestern nigeria as well, began a. Then came the 1993 elections in history of elections in nigeria, the l99 elections is seen as the most free and fair elections ever conducted in nigeria general ibrahim babangida, who overthrew the general buharis government, organized an inconclusive transition that was perceived in some quarters to deny a yoruba, chief m. General elections were held in nigeria on 23 february 2019 to elect the president, vice president, house of representatives and the senate. The former british colony is one of the worlds largest oil producers, but few nigerians, including those in oil. The election follows controversy as to whether a muslim or christian should be allowed to become president given the tradition of rotating the top. Nigeria, it will be a vital and relevant good step to give a sum mary background of recent nigerias relevant political and democratic history. In the first republic, the last governorgeneral of nigeria, dr. According to inec, nigerias electoral body, 68, 833, 476 nigerians will be eligible to vote in the 2015 general elections this day, 2015 from proposal. Africa nigeria the world factbook central intelligence. These slaves were bought and sold in the americas by europeans who lived there. The first set of political parties to be formed in nigeria was formed. This book by falola and heaton, two experienced and now famed collaborators, is a remarkable new addition to the growing library on a general history of nigeria. Around 1400, the yoruba kingdom of oyo was founded in the southwest and reach its height from the 17th to the 19th century.
Background history of recent democractic experience in nigeria. Commission inec to guide the 2019 general elections in nigeria. Although the years since nigerias return to civilian rule in 1999 have seen an increased interest in its history and politics, nigeria remains one of the most underresearched african countries. Thus, electoral violence has proved to be nigerias harbinger of national instability as. General elections were held in nigeria on 23 february 2019 to elect the president, vice. Governmental and political history of nigeria the first republic. This post is about the governmental and political history of nigeria. A brief history of general elections in nigeria 1999 to 2019 since 1999, when chief olusegun obasanjo became the first substantive democraticallyelected president, there have been five general elections. Nigeria became a federal republic, modelling its federal. The 2015 election was also heralded for the fact that the thenumbrella opposition party, the all progressives congress, defeated the longruling. However, the implication of nigerias electoral history for the enthronement of a democratic order is yet to be exhaustively explored.
The result was a victory for moshood kashimawo olawale abiola of the social democratic party, who defeated bashir tofa of the national republican convention. History of general elections in nigeria from 1999 till. More than a dozen such elections will take place in 2010 and early 2011. This newly formed country would go on to become a republic three years down the line on 1, october, 1963.
The earliest cities in nigeria were the northern cities of kano and katsina that started around c. However, in 1999, nigeria made a transition to civilian rule. Nigeria was granted independence on october 1, 1960. Controversies surrounding the 2007 presidential election. Nigerias military ruled the country for nearly 30 of 40 yrs of independence.
Introduction by the time nigeria gained its independence, it was entering a period of rapid social and economic change, and many people were quite optimistic about its future. History of nigeria nigeria has a long history that dates back as far as 9000 b. Lg elections in nigeria between 1999 and 2008 in three states of nigeria. A purposive sample of 455 individuals was selected from three states, anambra, plateau. Several dominant themes in nigerian history are essential for understanding contemporary nigerian politics and society. A history of nigeria by toyin falola cambridge core. Nigeria is a country with diverse and multifarious culture with overlapping regional, religious, and ethnic boundaries. Aside discussing the political parties in nigeria, this write up will equally discuss about the political history of nigeria. Council waec launched the senior secondary education curriculum. 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 role of elections in emerging democracies and postconflict countries key issues, lessons learned and dilemmas elections have become a major factor in the stabilisation and democratisation of emerging democracies and postconflict countries. Independent national electoral commission wikipedia. It has a population of 188,500,000, more than any other country in africa. The nigerian elections of april 2007 were judged by most observers to fall a long way short of the standards for credible, free and fair elections and to be the worst in nigerias postindependence, electoral history.
Elections in nigeria can be traced to as far back as the year 1923 when the country faced first general elections ever. The general elections of 2007 marked the first civiliantocivilian transfer of power in the countrys history. This book offers a unique portrayal of a resilient people living in a country with immense, but unrealized, potential. Nigeria is one of the worlds largest oil producers and supplies the u. Elections in nigeria are forms of choosing representatives to the nigerian federal government and the various states in the fourth republic nigeria. Mar 31, 2015 muhammadu buhari took a significant lead over the nigerian president, goodluck jonathan, on monday night with half of the results declared in a fiercely contested general election. Nnamdi azikiwe became the first president of independent nigeria, with sir. However, for elections to be termed democratic, it must be free and fair. A new constitution established a federal system with an elected prime minister and a ceremonial head of state. Presidential elections were held in nigeria on 12 june 1993, the first since the 1983 military coup.
Nigeria simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The ncnc, now headed by azikiwe who had taken control after macaulays death in 1946, formed a coalition with balewas npc after neither party won a majority in the 1959 elections. Lack of probity, accountability, transparency and trust on the part of government has been responsible for the poor turnouts in elections. History of political parties in nigeria will never be complete if mention is not made of the various political bigwigs in the history of this country. The political and governmental history of nigeria nigerian. The independent national electoral commission inec was established by the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of nigeria to among other things organize elections into various political offices in. Fortyone of the on july 19, 2011, the international peace institute ipi hosted a roundtable discussion on elections. The methodology adopted for this work is the use of qualitative data where a case study was adopted. Introduction nigeria and nigerians have been caught in the frenzy of centenary celebration. Additionally, countries with a history of electoral violence often experience a recurrence of such violence, as has been witnessed in kenya, nigeria, and zimbabwe. If the file has been modified from its original state, some details such as the timestamp may not fully reflect those of the original file. Nigeria has a rich history of political affairs that changed the direction of the country. As the fifth round of elections since the restoration of constitutional rule in 1999, it not only resulted in an alternation of power for the first time in the democratic history of africas largest democracy, but. As the current secretariat for the nigeria civil society situation room, policy and legal advocacy centre plac has worked closely with.
Tafawa balewa serving as the first and only prime minister of the country the government of the first republic did not last as it came to a halt via several coup attempts with the first. Nigeria s insecurity has added to its economic woes, hindering foreign investment. Muhammadu buhari took a significant lead over the nigerian president, goodluck jonathan, on monday night with half of the results declared in a fiercely contested general election. Political leadership and corruption in nigeria since 1960. The role of elections in emerging democracies and post. This election will go down in history as the elections that have finally put nigeria on an inexorable path of democracy and development, unity and cohesion.
Jan 10, 2016 the first major task that gowon faced was that of keeping nigeria as one country, a civil war which lasted thirty months was fought between the federal troops and troops of a newly declared republic of biafra. A parliamentary election was held in nigeria on 9 april 2011. A presidential election was held in nigeria on 16 april 2011, postponed from 9 april 2011. Corruption and violence taint democratic elections. Nigerias flag consists of three equal vertical bands of green, white, and green. On 1, october 1960, nigeria, after several years of british colonial rule, became an independent nation. The history of nigeria before independence in order to understand the current nigerian politics and society, three dominant characteristics need to be taken into account. Universal adult suffrage became a reality in nigeria in the 1979 elections when women in the north were allowed for the first time to participate in elections. Nigerias insecurity has added to its economic woes, hindering foreign investment.
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