The Rise of APC movement in Nigeria: a Challenge to rulling PDP

In this definitive period ahead of the gubernatorial election in Nigeria analysis of the APC Party movement is RAPIDLY gaining strength. Osas eye examines the APC Party phenomenon.

Tinubu emphasized earlier this year that a new party would emerge from the existing three leading opposition political parties. Tinubu said: ''The merger thing is coming on fine. In every political environment you have hills and valleys. There are sincere people, our commitment to merger is not for us, it is for the country. It is not for today only, it is for tomorrow and the future of our youth, the liberty and freedom of the journalism profession.''

''We have to change Nigeria for better. And the only way we could that is come together under one platform.''
“We are in the SouthWest, our political opponents would want us hemmed in, they want us restricted to South West.''

On the eve of that statement, the APC movement was formed. Since the launch of the ALL Progressive Congress party, the ruling party has struggled within. The word crisis has been used multiple times, but a new opposition is here for Nigeria.

Fast forward to November, months after the merger, the Punch magazine, the newly installed winner of newspaper of the year recently reported in an article titled PDP’s loss, APC’s gain. 

In September, President Jonathan fired nine cabinet ministers from his ruling party amid serious divisions in the governing party.  

Five aggrieved governors of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party defected to the All Progressives Congress on the PDP’s fortunes as the nation braces for the 2015 elections.

In August this year, ex-presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, broke with the ruling PDP party to join the movement in a bid for re-election in the 2015 presidential polls. 

The new party has become a main opposition.

The APC now controls 17 states with 33 million registered voters, compared to the PDP’s run of 15 states with only 26 million voters.