People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
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The People's Democratic Party is a centrist political party in Nigeria. It won the elections of 1999 and 2003. At the last legislative elections, held on 12 April 2003, the party won 54.5% of the popular vote and 223 out of 360 seats in the House of Representatives, and 76 out of 109 seats in the Senate. Its candidate at the presidential elections on 19 April 2003, Olusegun Obasanjo, was re-elected with 61.9% of the vote, though with alleged widespread rigging and manipulation of the voting process.
Despite denials, and despite the fact that some of the PDP's most senior officials and office-holders are Moslems (including Nigeria's Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar), the party draws most of its support from the predominantly Christian southern states. It polled well in the Moslem North in 1999, but lost considerable ground there in 2003, whilst at the same time strengthening its hold on the South. Hardline Moslems accuse the PDP of being a Christian party, a charge that its Moslem supporters, including Abubakar, are attempting to counteract.
In the Nigerian national elections of 2003, PDP surprised many observers by winning Yoruba states that were previously considered to be strongholds of the rival Alliance for Democracy - AD). All Yoruba states (except Lagos State) saw the upset victory of PDP candidates against incumbent AD Governors.
[edit] Overseas branches
[edit] New York PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party of Nigeria (PDP), New York State Branch "has a vision to get quality Nigerians involved in politics and provide them with an opportunity to climb the political ladder through membership".
[edit] Ireland PDP
"Peoples Democratic Party of Nigeria Republic of Ireland Chapter has been active since inauguration with the vision of helping bring in new leaders qualities into the Nigeria political mainstream. The Ireland Chapter of Nigeria ruling party sets to position Nigerians in Ireland with opportunities of getting involved in the development of their fatherland". [1]
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