4th Republic

Political Rallies are a staple of the political process. They help the candidates and their parties to engage with their bases and also offer an indicator of public support. Based on recent changes to the political calendar, we weigh up the effectiveness of political rallies in the current election cycle. 

Benue state Governor, Samuel Ortom and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar have been caught in a public spat which once again highlights the failures of the PDP to get its house in order. 

Get the breakdown of all this and more. 

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Finally, the APC's Bola Tinubu offers a policy document for us to chew through with the unveil of his manifesto which repurposes Abiola's 1993 campaign slogan. 

We also take a look at the recent anniversary of the #EndSARS massacre and how the candidates' attitudes to police reform and Nyesom Wike's continued dalliance with the APC. 

In the latest edition of our weekly briefing, we recap the last week in the Nigerian political sphere.

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Last week, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar came under fire for a speech in which he appeared to argue that the north does not need an Igbo or Yoruba president, but rather "someone from the north." 

After some delay, the Labour Party and its Presidential candidate Peter Obi and Vice President Yusuf Datti-Ahmed have inaugurated their presidential campaign council, which is led by Mohammed Zarewa as Chairman and Doyin Okupe as Director-General. 

After returning to the country, the APC’s Bola Tinubu has made his presence felt through a series of speeches and gaffes.

In the debut episode of our weekly briefing, we recap the last week in the Nigerian political sphere. 

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On this episode, we take a look at the most recent elections of the 4th Republic where President Buhari sought a second term seeking to build on his first term whereas the PDP's Atiku Abubakar finally earned the ticket of the party he had pursued for a large part of his political career. 

This election also witnessed a wave of third force candidates- candidates of professional backgrounds arguing that political change could not emerge from any of the two major political parties seeking to pursue the highest office in the land with relatively unknown parties.

The 2015 Election proved to be the most memorable in Nigeria's recent history for a range of reasons. In losing his seat, President Jonathan became the first incumbent to lose a presidential election in the country's history while General Muhammadu Buhari became the second leader after President Obasanjo to serve in both military and democratic dispensations. This election also marked the end of the People's Democratic Party's (PDP) domination of Nigeria's 4th Republic and the entry of the All Progressives Congress (APC) into the mainstream. 

On this episode, we take a look at this election and its importance in Nigeria's evolving democracy. 

President Goodluck Jonathan, the Vice President until President Yar'Adua's death in May 2010 sought a mandate in his own right triggering a debate about the zoning of the country's highest office. 

This election also offered a flash of the changes in Nigeria's political system as the prominent opposition was now formed by two newly formed parties: Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). 

The elections would also produce a wave of violence which threatened to impact the progress of Nigeria's democracy. 

The 2007 Elections marked the culmination of President Obasanjo's two terms in office and the first time in Nigerian history where a civilian government would hand over power to another. 

On this episode, we take a look at some of the dynamics which influenced the elections (Obasanjo's 3rd Term bid) and the impact of these elections on Nigeria's political trajectory. 

The 2003 Elections marked the first time Nigerians were able to hold a referendum on a leader's performance. President Obasanjo was challenged by General Buhari in the first of five bids for the highest office in the land. 

On Thursday, the 20th of January, we will conduct a deep dive into these elections and the state of play via Twitter Spaces. Join us @takingCustody 

Nigeria's 1999 elections marked the end of years of military rule and a return to democracy. On this episode, we take a look at the wider context of those elections, how they came about, the emergence of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), and President Obasanjo's ultimate ascent to the Nigerian presidency making him the first person to serve in both military and civilian capacities.