Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Sunday, January 09, 2011

Nigeria's presidential primary

In many places in the USA, one party is so dominant that the winner of that party's primary election is assured of winning the general election. It appears that the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria is that dominant.

A primary election to select the party's candidate for the upcoming presidential election will be held 13 January 2011. Here's an analysis from This Day by Nduka Nwosu and Yemi Adebowale. The article is detailed, with a lot of "inside Nigerian politics" information.

What would your students pick out as significant?

Jonathan vs Atiku - Race to the Wire

The Peoples Democratic Party will hold its historic presidential primaries next Thursday in Abuja, during which the two leading contenders for the party's ticket will engage in an unprecedented slugfest as they try to secure the votes of the delegates at the national convention…

Dr Goodluck Jonathan: He was Bayelsa State's deputy governor between 1999 and 2006. He later served as governor of the state between 2006-2007 after the impeachment of the then governor Diepreye Alameseigha. He emerged vice president in 2007 and later became president in May 2007 after the death of Umaru Yar'Adua. If elected president, Jonathan has promised to, amongst others, consolidate a proactive peace and security programme for the country, as well as a private sector-led and government-supported/regulated electric power development, deepen and coordinate an accelerated, transparent Niger Delta development programme; provide quality education and implement major reforms in agriculture through innovative financing and land ownership…

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar: He was learning the ropes which in 1998 positioned him as a leading light of the PDP… He was waiting to be sworn in as the governor of Adamawa State when President-elect Obasanjo chose him as his running mate.

He ended his tenure as vice president fighting his boss who had lost confidence in him for allegedly conspiring with the state governors to deny him his second term bid. The protracted fight saw him losing relevance as vice president, being hounded out of the PDP, and spending millions at the courts to contest the 2007 presidential election on the platform of the rival Action Congress party…

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Labels: elections, leadership, Nigeria, parties