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 ...

, registered for the 1983 elections. Headed by lawyer Tunji Braithwaite, 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 city, capital and most populous city of Oyo State, in Nigeria. It is the List of Nigerian cities by population, third-largest city by population in Nigeria after Lagos and Kano (city), Kano, with a total populatio ...

. 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 (; ; born 5 March 1937) is a Nigerian former army general, politician and statesman who served as Nigeria's head of state from 1976 to 1979 and later as its president from 1999 to 200 ...

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

Lagos Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...

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 Wole Soyinka , (born 13 July 1934) is a Nigerian author, best known as a playwright and poet. He has written three novels, ten collections of short stories, seven poetry collections, twenty five plays and five memoirs. He also wrote two transla ...

Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize (Swedish language, Swedish and ) is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the Will and testament, will of Sweden, Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Nobe ...

Winner, and musician

Fela Anikulapo Kuti Fela Aníkúlápó Kútì (born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti; 15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997) was a Nigerian musician and political activist. He is regarded as the principal innovator of Afrobeat, a Nigerian music genre that combine ...

, 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) was a Nigerian politician who was the first democratically elected president of Nigeria, after the transfer of power by Military Head of State of Nigeria, military head of sta ...

of the National Party of Nigeria was elected President, with a plurality of 45% 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