Nigeria's Turbulent 2021: Political Turmoil and Election Preparations

Strategic Insights -

As the year 2021 drew to a close, Nigeria's political landscape had transformed significantly, with key events shaping the country's trajectory towards the 2023 general election. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, which had slowed down political activities in 2020, the country witnessed a flurry of events in 2021, including defections, leadership crises, and electoral reforms.

Key Takeaways:

  • Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State defected from the PDP to the APC in May, followed by Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State in June, raising concerns about the PDP's leadership.
  • The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) launched an online portal for the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise, which drew millions of participants.
  • APC and PDP grappled with internal crises, with some members resigning in protest of their leadership styles.
  • Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and other governors conspired to remove PDP's National Chairman, Uche Secondus, who was eventually replaced by Iyorchia Ayu.
  • APC interim leader, Mai Mala Buni, faced challenges from some members demanding his removal, but managed to retain his position through the support of party governors and state chairpersons.
  • INEC conducted the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State without major issues, with Soludo of the APGA winning the poll.
  • The National Assembly passed the Electoral Act amendment bill in July, but President Buhari declined assent in December, citing insecurity and other concerns.

Statistics:

  • 2 governors (Ben Ayade and Bello Matawalle) defected from the PDP to the APC.
  • 10 arson attacks occurred on INEC facilities across the south-east and south-south regions in May-June.
  • 1.3 million Nigerians participated in the INEC CVR exercise in June.
  • 56,872 new polling units were created by INEC in addition to the existing 119,974.
  • 18 political parties participated in the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.

Sources:

  • Premium Times (no date)