How many political parties are in Nigeria? What are the political parties in Nigeria currently? Official list of political parties in Nigeria 2020: These are the information many Nigerians seek to know today. In this article, i am going to make a comprehensive list of the political parties in Nigeria this year. Coupled with that, I will give you a detailed explanation of the party system practiced in Nigeria.

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According to Britannica, Political parties originated in their modern form in Europe and the United States in the 19th century, along with the electoral and parliamentary systems, whose development reflects the evolution of parties. It is defined as a group of persons organized to acquire and exercise political power. In a more understandable form, a political party is an association of like minded people who come together in other contest for elections and control the government.

In Nigeria, we practice multi-party system. What this means is that many political parties are legally allowed to exist and contest for any political position in the country at the same time, as long as they are registered and recognized by INEC (Independent Electoral Commission).

There are many advantages which actually formed the reason for adopting a multi-party system in Nigeria. Some will be highlighted below:

Reasons for multi party system in Nigeria

1. The opposition parties acts as watchman to the ruling party:

One of the advantages of a multi party system like Nigeria is the fact that the opposing political parties act as watchman of the ruling party and points out its errors and weaknesses. They oppose government policies and actions which are not in the interest of the nation. Thus, they also ensure that the government does not go beyond its constitutional powers.

2. Multi-party system allows for an alternative government:

Unlike a one party system of government where there is just one political party and the citizens actually has no alternative choice, multi-party system always for an alternative government. The opposing political parties play the sole of an alternative government to the ruling party by contesting elections with other political parties periodically.

3. It necessitates the principle of democracy:

One of the characteristics of representative democracy is that, citizens have the right to choose anybody who they want to be their leader. Conversely, a multi-party system seems to support democracy because it allows the citizens to choose whoever they want from the numerous political parties in the country.

This is as opposed to a one party state where citizens do not actually make their choice of leader per se, because there is no alternative leader or political party to choose from.

4. It brings about accountability in government:

Where there is a multi party system, there is always accountability in government. Multi-party systems carefully assesses government policies and actions in other to make constructive criticisms, and it acts as a check and balance by promulgating policies of the government that are not in the interest of the nation.

Those are some of the reasons why multi party system was thought to be the best for Nigeria. Clearly looking at the advantages of this system, it seems to be the best and most practicable party system for Nigeria. However, this is not true. You will agree with me that even though Nigeria is practicing a Multi-party system, the country apparently has just two political parties since the fourth republic. These two political parties have been ruling almost every part of the country for long. Even till today, it seems the country has just two political parties control the government.

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Political parties in Nigeria

Since independence on October 1, 1960, many political parties have taken part in Nigeria’s politics. The political parties are listed according to the time or era in which they took part in Nigerian politics as follows:

List of Political Parties in Nigeria before Independence

1. Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP)
2. National Youth Movement (NYM)

List of Political Parties in Nigeria during the First Republic (1960 – 1966)

1. National Council of Nigeria and Camerouns (NCNC)
2. Action Group (AG)
3. Northern People’s Congress (NPC)
4. United National Independent Party (UNIP)
5. Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU)
6. United Middle Belt Congress (UMBC)
7. Dynamic Party (DP)
8. Niger Delta Congress (NDC)
9. Lagos United Front (LUF)
10. Nigerian National Alliance (NNA)
11. United Pregressive Grand Alliance (UPGA)
12. Bornu Youth Movement (BYM)

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List of Political Parties in Nigeria during the Second Republic (1979 – 1983)

1. National Party of Nigeria (NPN)
2. United Party of Nigeria (UPN)
3. Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP)
4. Great Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP)
5. Peoples Redemption Party (PRP)
6. National Advance Party (NAP)

List of Political Parties in Nigeria during the Third Republic (1962 – 1993)

1. Social Democratic Party (SDP)
2. National Republican Convention (NRC)

List of Political Parties in Nigeria during Abacha Civil Rule Plan (1996 – 1998)

1. Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN)
2. Congress for National Consensus (CNC)
3. Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM)
4. National Center Party of Nigeria (NCPN)
5. United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP)

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List of political parties in Nigeria in the fourth republic currently (2020)

1. Accord (A)
2. Action Alliance (AA)
3. All Blending Party (ABP)
4. Advanced Congress Of Democrats (ACD)
5. Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN)
6. Alliance For Democracy (AD)
7. African Democratic Congress (ADC)
8. Action Democratic Party (ADP)
9. AGA All Grassroots Alliance (AGA)
10. All Grand Alliance Party (AGAP)
11. Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN)
12. Abundant Nigeria Renewal PARTY (ANRP)
13. African Peoples ALLIANCE (APA)
14. All Progressives Congress (APC)
15. Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA)
16. All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)
17. African Peoples Party (APP)
18. Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP)
19. Coalition for Change (C4C)
20. Democratic Alternative (DA)
21. Democratic Peoples Congress (DPC)
22. Democratic Peoples Party (DPP)
23. Freedom and Justice Party (FJP)
24. Fresh Democratic PARTY (FRESH)
25. Grassroots Development Party of NIGERIA (GDPN)
26. Green Party of Nigeria (GPN)
27. Hope Democratic Party (HDP)
28. Independent Democrats (ID)
29. Justice Must Prevail Party (JMPP)
30. Kowa PARTY (KP)
31. Labour Party (LP)
32. Legacy Party of Nigeria (LPN)
33. Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA)
34. Modern Democratic PARTY (MDP)
35. Masses Movement of Nigeria (MMN)
36. Mega Progressive Peoples Party (MPPP)
37. National Action Council (NAC)
38. National Conscience Party (NCP)
39. Nigeria Democratic Congress Party (NDCP)
40. National Democratic Liberty Party (NDLP)
41. Nigeria Elements Progressive Party (NEPP)
42. New Generation Party of Nigeria (NGP)
43. National Interest Party (NIP)
44. New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)
45. Nigeria Peoples Congress (NPC)
46. New Progressive Movement (NPM)
47. National Rescue Movement (NRM)
48. National Unity Party (NUP)
49. People’s Alliance for National Development & Liberty (PANDEL)
50. People For Democratic Change (PDC)
51. Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM)
52. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
53. Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA)
54. Providence People’s Congress (PPC)
55. Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN)
56. Peoples Progressive Party (PPP)
57. Peoples Redemption Party (PRP)
58. People’s Trust (TP)
59. Re-build Nigeria Party (RBNP)
60. Restoration Party of Nigeria (RPN)
61. Social Democratic Party (SDP)
62. Sustainable National Party (SNP)
63. Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN)
64. UDP United Democratic Party (UDP)
65. UPN Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN)
66. United Progressive Party (UPP)
67. Young Democratic Party (YDP)
68. Young Progressive Party (YPP)

Okay! Those are the political parties Nigeria have had before and after independence. Hope this article was helpful? If you need more detailed information about each of the political parties mentioned in this post, kindly ask your questions using the comment section. Trust me; I will give you a reply as soon as possible.

It is pertinent to note that the political parties under the fourth republic in this article are the purportedly registered political parties in the just concluded 2019 presidential elections. In other words, they are the official known political parties in Nigeria according to INEC (Independent Electoral Commission).