Can APC Also Have 16 Years of Continuous Power Just like PDP? Razak Kojo Opoku

The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) founded in 1998 just like the New Patriotic Party(NPP) is a member of Democrat Union of Africa(DUA) and International Democrat Union(IDU).

Multi-party Democracy was restored in 1999 in Nigeria after so many years of military Governments since the Country’s Independence in 1960.

The Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria does NOT allow individuals to contest elections as Independent Candidates. As result, anyone desiring to run for an election must do so on the ticket of a registered political party unlike Ghana where people can contest as Independent Candidates.

The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) won the first election in Nigeria conducted by Independent Electoral Commission(INEC).

PDP ruled Nigeria for 16 continuous years from 1999 to 2015 and it is the only Party that has produced 3 Presidents in 16 Years such as Obasanjo, Ya’Adua and Goodluck.

1. Olusegun Obasanjo/Atiku governed Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 under the ticket of PDP.

2. Umaru Ya’Adua/Goodluck Jonathan governed Nigeria from 2007 to 2011 under PDP ticket.

Ya’Adua dies in Office in May, 2010.

3. Goodluck Jonathan/Namadi Sambo governed Nigeria from 2011 to 2015 under PDP ticket.

4. In 2015, Goodluck Jonathan/Namadi Sambo contested the Presidential election on the ticket of PDP but lost to APC and Buhari.

5. In 2019, Atiku Abubakar/Peter Obi contested the Presidential election on the ticket of PDP and again lost to APC and Buhari.

6. However, in 2023, Atiku and Obi are separately and independently contesting the Presidential election on different tickets, PDP and Labour Party respectively.

All Progressives Congress(APC) founded in 2013, is a merger of 3 largest political parties in Nigeria mainly:
1. Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN, founded in 2006)
2. Congress for Progressive Change(CPC, founded in 2009)
3. All Nigeria Peoples Party(ANPP, founded in 1998).

APC won the 2015 and 2019 Presidential elections in Nigeria.

If Tinubu/Shettima wins the 2023 Presidential election, the APC will be ruling Nigeria for 12years and still lag behind PDP. To equalize the 16years record of PDP, the APC must do everything possible to win both the 2023 and 2027 Presidential elections.