According to a West Africa report, of the 70 political organizations in Nigeria, 23 were actively merging and forming alliances in July 1996 in attempts to satisfy registration requirements for official party status (29 July-4 Aug. 1996, 1178). Of these 23 associations, the following 16 submitted completed application forms to the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON): All Nigeria Congress (ANC); United Nigeria Party (UNP); Nigeria Centre Party (NCP); People's Consensus Party (PCP); Progressive Party of Nigeria (PPN); People's Redemption Party (PRP); People's Progressive Party (PPP); Nation Builders' Congress (NBC); Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM); United Nigeria Congress (UNC); Social Progressive Party (SPP); Labour Democratic Party (LDP); National Solidarity People's Alliance (NSPA); Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN); National Democratic Party (NDP); and Congress for National Consensus (CNC) (Africa Research Bulletin 1-31 July 1996, 12341).

Five parties were finally approved and registered with the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON): the Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN); the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP); National Centre Party of Nigeria (NCPN); Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM); and the Congress for National Consensus (CNC). All other political associations were ordered dissolved (AFP 4 Oct. 1996; Africa Research Bulletin 1-30 Nov. 1996, 12467; IPS 1 Oct. 1996; NTA Television Network 30 Sept. 1996).

Please consult the attachments for additional information on the registration procedures and the mergers and alliances that occurred after initial registration. Also please find attached information on the party primaries held after the five parties received official status, and on the party leaders who were elected.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Africa Research Bulletin [London].1-30 November 1996. Vol. 33, No. 11. "Nigeria: Party Conventions."

_____.1-31 July 1996. Vol. 33. No. 7. "Nigeria: Sixteen Parties Register."

Agence France Presse (AFP). 4 October 1996. "Opposition Slams Government Registration of Political Parties." (NEXIS)

Inter Press Service (IPS). 1 October 1996. "Passing Through the Eye of the Needle." [Internet] [Accessed 6 Mar. 1997]

NTA Television Network [Lagos, in English]. 30 September 1996. "Nigeria Approves Five Political Parties; Other Associations Dissolved." (BBC Summary 2 Oct. 1996/NEXIS)

West Africa [Paris]. 29 July-4 August 1996. No. 4110. Sam Ogwa. "The Scramble for Politics."

Africa Confidential [London].18 October 1996. Vol. 37, No. 21. "Nigeria II: Abacha's Agbada," pp. 3-4.

Africa Research Bulletin [London].1-30 November 1996. Vol. 33, No. 11. "Nigeria: Party Conventions," p. 12467.

_____. 1-30 September 1996. Vol. 33, No. 9. "Nigeria: Merger Agreements," p. 12401.

_____.1-31 July 1996. Vol. 33. No. 7. "Nigeria: Sixteen Parties Register," p. 12341.

Agence France Presse (AFP). 4 October 1996. "Opposition Slams Government Registration of Political Parties." (NEXIS)

Inter Press Service (IPS). 1 October 1996. "Passing Through the Eye of the Needle." [Internet] [Accessed 6 Mar. 1997]

NTA Television Network [Lagos, in English]. 30 September 1996. "Nigeria Approves Five Political Parties; Other Associations Dissolved." (BBC Summary 2 Oct. 1996/NEXIS)

_____. 3 September 1996. "Electoral Commission Disallows One Merger of Parties, Approves Three." (BBC Summary 5 Sept. 1996/NEXIS)

_____. 29 August 1996. "Seven Associations Merge Into Three Political Groupings." (BBC Summary 31 Aug. 1996/NEXIS)

_____. 27 August 1996. "Five Political Parties Sign Merger Agreements." (BBC Summary 29 Aug. 1996/NEXIS)

Pan African News Agency (PANA). 13 October 1996. Paul Ejime. "Nigerian Transition Programme Enters New Era." [Internet] [Accessed 6 Mar. 1997]

PostExpress. 4 March 1997. "Consensus Prevails at Party Primaries." [Internet] [Accessed 6 Mar. 1997]

Radio Nigeria Network [Lagos, in English]. 16 February 1997. "Nigeria: Democratic Party Chairman Resigns Position." (FBIS-AFR-97-032 16 Feb. 1997) [Internet] [Accessed 6 Mar. 1997]

Reuters. 25 October 1996. "New Nigerian Party Calls for Consensus, Change." [Internet] [Accessed 6 Mar. 1997]

The Week [Lagos]. 2 December 1996. Festus Owete and Malachy Uzendu. "Getting Set." (The Ethnic NewsWatch/NEXIS)

_____. 9 September 1996. Yusuph Olaniyonu. "More Talks, Less Unions." (The Ethnic NewsWatch/NEXIS)

West Africa [Paris]. 11-17 November 1996. No. 4124. Bola Olowo. "Picking and Choosing," p. 1757.

_____. 2-8 September 1996. No. 4115. Bola Olowo. "Nigeria: Transition Blues," pp. 1392-93.

_____. 29 July-4 August 1996. No. 4110. Sam Ogwa. "The Scramble for Politics," pp. 1178-80.