All Progressives Congress

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All Progressives Congress
Caretaker ChairmanMai Mala Buni (YO)
Nigerian PresidentMuhammadu Buhari (KT)
Nigerian Vice PresidentYemi Osinbajo (LA)
Senate PresidentAhmed Lawan (YO)
Speaker House of RepresentativesFemi Gbajabiamila (LA)
Founded6 February 2013; 9 years ago (2013-02-06)
Merger ofACN
CPC
ANPP
Headquarters40 Blantyre Street, off Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Wuse II, Abuja, FCT
IdeologyBig tent[1][2]
Economic nationalism
Political positionCentre-left[3]
Colours  Light blue (customary)
  Green
  White
  Red
Seats in the Senate
69 / 109
Seats in the House
235 / 360
Governorships
22 / 36
Seats in state Houses of Assembly
612 / 991
Website
https://officialapc.ng/

The All Progressives Congress is one of the two major contemporary political parties in Nigeria, along with its main rival, the People's Democratic Party. It was founded on 6 February 2013.[4][5][6][7]

The APC candidate Muhammadu Buhari won the presidential election by almost 2.6 million votes.[8] Incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat on 31 March.[9] This was the first time in Nigeria's political history that an opposition political party unseated a governing party in a general election and one in which power transferred peacefully from one political party to another.[10] In addition, the APC won the majority of seats in the Senate and the House of Representatives in the 2015 elections, though it fell shy of winning a super-majority to override the ability of the opposition People's Democratic Party to block legislation.[11][12]

After waves of defections made the APC nearly lose its federal legislative majorities in 2018 with both Senate President Bukola Saraki and House Speaker Yakubu Dogara defecting to the PDP along with dozens of lawmakers,[13] the 2019 general election was seen as a major test for the party. Buhari was re-elected by over 3.9 million votes against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the PDP. In the National Assembly, the APC failed to reach 2015 numbers but solidified its majorities in both chambers after the 2018 defections. However, the party faced a setback in governships with a net loss of two.

Formation[edit]

Formed in February 2013, the party is the result of a merger of Nigeria's three biggest opposition parties – the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the new PDP - a faction of then ruling People's Democratic Party.[14][15][16] The resolution was signed by Tom Ikimi, who represented the ACN; Senator Annie Okonkwo on behalf of the APGA; Ibrahim Shekarau, the Chairman of ANPP's Merger Committee; and Garba Shehu, the Chairman of CPC's Merger Committee.[17] Ironically, less than 2 years before the party's historic victory in the 2015 elections, Messrs. Annie Okonkwo, Tom Ikimi and Ibrahim Shekarau resigned from the party and joined the PDP.[18][19] [20]

The party received approval from the nation's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on 31 July 2013 to become a political party and subsequently withdrew the operating licenses of the three parties that merged (the ACN, CPC and ANPP). In March 2013, it was reported that two other associations – African Peoples Congress and All Patriotic Citizens – also applied for INEC registration, adopting APC as an acronym as well, reportedly "a development interpreted to be a move to thwart the successful coalition of the opposition parties, ahead of the 2015 general elections."[21] It was reported in April 2013 that the party was considering changing their name to the All Progressive Congress of Nigeria (APCN) to avoid further complications.[22]

In November 2013, five serving Governors from the governing PDP defected to the APC, as well as 49 legislators who joined the ranks of 137 legislators in the APC as a result of the prior merger of the smaller opposition parties.[23][24][25] This initially gave the APC a slim majority of 186 legislators in the Lower House out of a total of 360 legislators; however, subsequent political wrangling and pressure from political factions and interests outside the National Assembly of Nigeria, gave the party only 37 additional legislators thus giving the APC a nominal majority of 172 out of 360 Legislators, as opposed to the PDP's 171 (though some smaller PDP-allied parties hold the balance of the other seats.[26] This was further confirmed when the party seated 179 members on 15 January 2015 when the House resumed after a long recess to finally affirm its majority.[27] The governors who defected to the APC were Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State and Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State. It had been previously reported that Governors Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State and Sule Lamido of Jigawa State were set to defect from the People's Democratic Party to the APC; however, both ended up remaining with the People's Democratic Party. In the 2015 elections, Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu ran as a senatorial nominee of the People's Democratic Party for the Niger State east senatorial district, losing in a landslide to the APC's David Umaru.[28]

On 12–13 December 2014, the APC was admitted as a consultative member into the Socialist International.[29]

On 4 July 2018, important members who were earlier identified as nPDP caved again out from APC to formed "Reformed APC" this is done ahead of 2019 general election. The formation of the R-APC made the opposition, the PDP the majority in the Senate.[30]

Prior to the formation of the APC and its victory in the 2015 elections, Muhammadu Buhari had previously contested (and subsequently lost) the Nigerian presidential elections of 2003 and 2007 as the presidential nominee of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the 2011 Nigerian presidential election as the presidential nominee of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

Political ideology[edit]

Economic issues[edit]

The APC is generally considered to be a centre-left political party that favors controlled market economic policies, and a strong and active role for government regulation. A substantial number of its political leaders are followers of or politicians who subscribe to the social democratic political philosophy of Obafemi Awolowo and the socialist and anti-class views of Aminu Kano. Moreover, the majority of the APC's base of political support is in southwestern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria, which are dominated by the Yoruba and the Hausa-Fulani, respective.[31][citation needed]

Social issues[edit]

The APC support state's rights, advancing state police as part of its manifesto.[32] Its social policy is a combination of social nationalism. Despite the parties' domination by pro-devolution politicians like Atiku Abubakar, Bola Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande, the party's presidential bearer and the CPC wing is less inclined to federalism.[33]

On 1 November 2017, Dr. [[SKC Ogbonnia]] became the first candidate under the party to declare his intention to seek the office of the president of Nigeria in 2019 elections.[citation needed]

Electoral history[edit]

Presidential Elections[edit]

Year Party candidate Running mate Votes % Result
2015 Muhammadu Buhari Yemi Osinbajo 15,424,921 53.96% Elected Green tickY
2019 15,191,847 55.60% Elected Green tickY

House of Representatives and Senate elections[edit]

Election House of Representatives Senate
Votes % Seats +/– Position Votes % Seats +/– Position
2015
212 / 360
 Increase 1st
60 / 109
 Increase 19 Increase 1st
2019 12,931,229 47.38%
217 / 360
 Increase 7 Steady 1st 13,392,474 48.31%
64 / 109
 Increase 4 Steady 1st

Gubernatorial Elections[edit]

Year Number of States won
2015
26 / 36
2019
20 / 36

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Idowu, Abe. "PARTY IDEOLOGY AND APC 2019 GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN NIGERIA". Africa Journal of Research.
  2. ^ Ambrose I Egwim, PhD. "IDEOLOGICALLY SPEAKING: THE DEPARTURE OF ALL PROGRESSIVE CONGRESS FROM PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY". Socialscientia Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities.
  3. ^ Campbell, John (9 October 2018). "The Stage Is Set for Nigeria's February 2019 Presidential Election". Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  4. ^ "The Merger This Time!". PM News. 13 February 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  5. ^ Maram, Mazen (7 February 2013). "Nigerian Biggest Opposition Parties Agree to Merge". Bloomberg. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  6. ^ Opoola, Murtala (10 February 2013). "Nigeria: Welcome, All Progressives Congress". AllAfrica. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  7. ^ Odeyemi, Temitayo Isaac; Igwebueze, Gideon Uchechukwu; Abati, Omomayowa Olawale; Ogundotun, Adeola Opeyemi (2021). "Political hibernation in-between elections? Exploring the online communication and mobilisation capacities of Nigeria's political parties". Journal of Public Affairs. n/a (n/a): e2804. doi:10.1002/pa.2804. ISSN 1479-1854. S2CID 245477177.
  8. ^ "Election Result-Independent National Electoral Commission". INEC. 2 April 2015. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  9. ^ "Nigeria election: Muhammadu Buhari wins". BBC News. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  10. ^ "Nigeria makes history in presidential election". 31 March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  11. ^ "APC wins 214 House of Reps' seats". Punch. 8 April 2015. Archived from the original on 21 April 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  12. ^ "APC wins 64 seats in Senate". Punch. 1 April 2015. Archived from the original on 1 April 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  13. ^ "Defection: Court strikes out suit seeking sack of Saraki, Dogara, 52 other lawmakers |". 17 May 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Update: ACN, ANPP, APGA, CPC merge into new party, APC - Premium Times Nigeria". 7 February 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  15. ^ Agomuo, Zebulon (11 February 2013). "Possible risks in opposition merger ahead 2015". Business Daily. Archived from the original on 14 February 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  16. ^ Akor, Ambrose (18 April 2013). "Nigeria's Key Opposition Party Approves Merger Plan". Bloomberg. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  17. ^ and Basirat NahibiAgbakwuru, Johnbosco (10 February 2013). "Nigeria: New Party – Buhari, Tinubu, Threaten Jonathan With Armoured Personnel Carrier, APC". AllAfrica. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  18. ^ ""APC lacks internal democracy" – Ex-Deputy Chairman, Annie Okonkwo rejoins PDP". Daily post. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  19. ^ "Tom Ikimi dumps APC, attacks Tinubu". Premium Times. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  20. ^ "BREAKING: Ex-Kano Governor, Shekarau, dumps APC for PDP". Premium Times. 29 January 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  21. ^ Owete, Festus (21 March 2013). "INEC, All Progressives Congress meet over APC". Premium Times. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  22. ^ "All Progressives Congress may adopt APCN as new name". Osun Defender. 1 April 2013. Archived from the original on 4 April 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  23. ^ "In Political Earthquake, 5 PDP Govs Defect to APC". This Day Live. 27 November 2013. Archived from the original on 8 April 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  24. ^ "49 House Members Decamp to APC, Articles - THISDAY LIVE". Archived from the original on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  25. ^ John Alechenu, "PDP’s loss, APC’s gain" Archived 27 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Punch, 27 November 2013.
  26. ^ John Ameh, "Lawmakers jubiliate as 37 PDP Reps defect to APC" Archived 18 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Punch, 18 December 2013.
  27. ^ Olu Famous. "APC finally defeats PDP in House of Reps, Takes the Majority - OluFamous.Com". Olu Famous. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  28. ^ "Election: APC candidate defeats Niger governor Babangida Aliyu". Vanguard (Nigeria). 29 March 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  29. ^ "Socialist International - Progressive Politics For A Fairer World". Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  30. ^ R-APC emerges out of APC Nigeria News, retrieved 4 April 2018
  31. ^ "Elite Project Writes. (2019). PARTY IDEOLOGY AND APC 2019 GENERAL ELECTIONS CAMPAIGN IN NIGERIA".
  32. ^ "All Progressives Congress - APC". Facebook. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  33. ^ "Devolution of Power: Atiku, Buhari lock horns - Post-Nigeria". 18 May 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2015.

External links[edit]

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