National Republican Convention

This article is about a Nigerian political party. For the United States Republican Party convention, see Republican National Convention.

The National Republican Convention was a Nigerian political party established by the government of General Ibrahim Babangida and ultimately disbanded by the incoming military regime of General Sani Abacha in 1993.

Alignment

The party was organized to cater to the conservative leanings of some Nigerians, it flourished in the core northern states and Eastern states of Abia and Enugu. However, many felt there was little difference between the party and its competitor, the Social Democratic Party, another government created party. Both parties were under the supervision of the military government and most of its presidential candidates favored a continuation of the Structural Adjustment Programme of the Babangida administration.

Party history

The party was largely an amalgamation of three major organizations, the Liberal Convention, the Nigeria National Congress and the Federalists. In its first presidential primary, the race was dominated by a few prominent Hausa-Fulani leaders. Adamu Ciroma, a former minister and former governor of the central bank was its leading candidate; he collected about 270,000 votes. Umaru Shinkafi, came in second with about 250,000.

The party was under the leadership of Tom Ikimi, an architect from Edo State.

References

• Maier, Karl (1992-03-17). "Regional rivalries blight experiment with ballot box". The Independent (Independent News & Media). 
• "Political parties are forming privately; groupings". Country Report. 1989-04-14. 
• "Nigeria; Presidential business". The Economist (The Economist Group). 1991-03-16. 
• "Party officials pleased with primary results". Agence France-Presse.