United Nigeria Congress Party
Encyclopedia
The United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) 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, in which it won many elections, and in parliamentary elections held in April 1998. The UNCP was considered by many government opponents to be the army’s proxy.
The UNCP was clearly a right-wing party, with a broader base and acceptance than the left-wing Grassroots Democratic Movement
(GDM) headed by Alhaji Mohammed Yusuf.
The other authorized parties were the Congress for National Consensus (CNC), Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN) and the National Centre Party of Nigeria (NCPN).
The UNCP was the largest of these political parties, and one of four (out of five) to support Abacha standing as a presidential candidate.
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, in which it won many elections, and in parliamentary elections held in April 1998. The UNCP was considered by many government opponents to be the army’s proxy.
The UNCP was clearly a right-wing party, with a broader base and acceptance than the left-wing Grassroots Democratic Movement
Grassroots Democratic Movement
The Grassroots Democratic Movement 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, and in parliamentary elections held in April 1998.The...
(GDM) headed by Alhaji Mohammed Yusuf.
The other authorized parties were the Congress for National Consensus (CNC), Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN) and the National Centre Party of Nigeria (NCPN).
The UNCP was the largest of these political parties, and one of four (out of five) to support Abacha standing as a presidential candidate.
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.