Grassroots Democratic Movement
Encyclopedia
The Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM) was a Nigeria
n political party that was one of the five state-sanctioned political parties allowed by the government of General Sani Abacha
to participate in state assembly elections held in December 1997, and in parliamentary elections held in April 1998.
The other authorized parties were the United Nigeria Congress Party
, Congress for National Consensus (CNC), Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN) and the National Centre Party of Nigeria (NCPN).
The Grassroots Democratic Movement headed by Alhaji Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu
had a left wing orientation.
In April 1998, the GDM was the only party considering alternative presidential candidates to Sani Abacha.
Dr Tunji Braithwaite, a lawyer who was called to the bar in 1961 and founded the Nigeria Advanced Party in 1983, hoped to be the presidential aspirant for the Grassroots Democratic Movement in 1999.
By May 1998, Muhammadu Yusufu, a former Nigerian police chief, was suing the GDM for nominating Abacha as its presidential candidate. He called on Abacha to resign.
When General Abdulsalami Abubakar
succeeded Sani Abacha after the latter's death in July 1998, he dissolved the five parties and announced that democratic elections would be held during the first quarter of 1999. He proposed the free formation of political parties, an independent judiciary, international electoral monitors.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n political party that was one of the five state-sanctioned political parties allowed by the government of General Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
to participate in state assembly elections held in December 1997, and in parliamentary elections held in April 1998.
The other authorized parties were the United Nigeria Congress Party
United Nigeria Congress Party
The United Nigeria Congress Party was a Nigerian political party that was one of the five state-sanctioned political parties allowed by the government of General Sani Abacha to participate in state assembly elections held in December 1997, in which it won many elections, and in parliamentary...
, Congress for National Consensus (CNC), Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN) and the National Centre Party of Nigeria (NCPN).
The Grassroots Democratic Movement headed by Alhaji Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu
Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu
Alhaji Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu is a Nigerian policeman, public servant and politician.Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu rose to the position of Inspector General of the Nigerian Police, a post he held from 1975 to 1979 during the military rules of Generals Murtala Mohammed and Olusegun Obasanjo...
had a left wing orientation.
In April 1998, the GDM was the only party considering alternative presidential candidates to Sani Abacha.
Dr Tunji Braithwaite, a lawyer who was called to the bar in 1961 and founded the Nigeria Advanced Party in 1983, hoped to be the presidential aspirant for the Grassroots Democratic Movement in 1999.
By May 1998, Muhammadu Yusufu, a former Nigerian police chief, was suing the GDM for nominating Abacha as its presidential candidate. He called on Abacha to resign.
When General Abdulsalami Abubakar
Abdulsalami Abubakar
General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar is a Nigerian general who was President of Nigeria from June 9, 1998 until May 29, 1999. He succeeded Sani Abacha upon Abacha's death. It was during Abubakar's leadership that Nigeria adopted its new constitution on May 5, 1999, which provided for multiparty...
succeeded Sani Abacha after the latter's death in July 1998, he dissolved the five parties and announced that democratic elections would be held during the first quarter of 1999. He proposed the free formation of political parties, an independent judiciary, international electoral monitors.