The Nigeria Advance Party was a progressive political party during the

Second Nigerian Republic The Second Nigerian Republic was a brief formation of the Nigerian state which succeeded the military governments formed after the overthrow of the first republic. Background Contested elections and political turbulence in the Western region en ...

, registered for the 1983 elections. Headed by lawyer

Tunji Braithwaite The Nigeria Advance Party was a progressive political party during the Second Nigerian Republic, registered for the 1983 elections. Headed by lawyer Tunji Braithwaite, known for his opposition and as a lawyer, the party was the only new politica ...

, known for his opposition and as a lawyer, the party was the only new political organization allowed to field candidates for the 1983 elections. The party was composed of southern Nigerian intellectuals favoring a reformist government.

History

The party was launched on 13 October 1978 in

Ibadan Ibadan (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Oyo State, in Nigeria. It is the third-largest city by population in Nigeria after Lagos and Kano, with a total population of 3,649,000 as of 2021, and over 6 million people within its me ...

. Party leaders initially took a cautious attitude towards the idea of free education, but later advocated free university education and mandatory primary education. It positioned itself as an alternative to the old politicians of the first republic. In its first two decades, Nigeria witnessed extensive military rule. Gen.

Olusegun Obasanjo Chief Olusegun Matthew Okikiola Ogunboye Aremu Obasanjo, , ( ; yo, Olúṣẹ́gun Ọbásanjọ́ ; born 5 March 1937) is a Nigerian political and military leader who served as Nigeria's head of state from 1976 to 1979 and later as its presid ...

was the last military head of state prior to the 1983 elections. Tunji Braithwaite was a prominent

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...

ian who claimed that Nigeria's potential could be achieved by reform—especially through the eradication of deep-rooted corruption. Notable associates of Tunji Braithwaite include

Wole Soyinka Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka (Yoruba: ''Akínwándé Olúwọlé Babátúndé Ṣóyíinká''; born 13 July 1934), known as Wole Soyinka (), is a Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet, and essayist in the English language. He was awarded t ...

Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish industrialist, inventor and armaments (military weapons and equipment) manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Chemistry, Physics, Physiolog ...

Winner, and musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti, whose mother was murdered by soldiers in a raid on Fela's Kalakuta Republic under Obasanjo's Military Regime.

Campaign

In December 1978, three political pressure groups joined the party. They were the Nigeria Tenants and Labour Congress, headed by I.H. Igali, the Nigeria Social Democratic Congress, led by Balali Dauda, and the Youth Force Alliance, led by Olayinka Olabiwonu. However, its registration was rejected two months later based on insufficient grassroots support.

1983 Elections

The party, led by Tunji Braithwaite, was one of six to contest in the Nigerian Presidential Elections of 1983.

Shehu Shagari Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari (25 February 1925 – 28 December 2018), titled Turakin Sokoto from 1962, was the first democratically elected President of Nigeria, after the transfer of power by military head of state General Olusegun Obasanjo in ...

of the National Party of Nigeria was elected President, with a plurality of 45% percent of votes. On 7 December 2012, The party was one of 28 to be de-registered by INEC, ahead of 2015 election campaign.

References

{{Authority control Defunct political parties in Nigeria 1978 establishments in Nigeria Fela Kuti