NIGERIAN party politics since civil rule in 1999 has been dominated by factions, internal crises, irreconcilable differences, open disagreements among members of the same party, especially those in high public offices. Three parties at the starting line - Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the All Peoples Party, APP, later All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, and the Alliance for Democracy, AD in 1999 - morphed at a point to more than 50 parties. Their politics is indiscernible.
The main parties in the First Republic were the Northern Peoples Congress, NPC, the United Middle Belt Congress, UMBC, the Northern Elements Progressive Union, NEPU, the National Convention of Nigerian Citizens, NCNC, and the Action Group, AG. Their leaders Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Joseph Tarka, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, and Chief Obafemi Awolowo had firm grip on their affairs.
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