Who can provide some good info about the political parties in Nigeria now please? I keep reading APGA, APC, ExPDP, PDP etc... How do people differentiate between all these parties, it seems like its all the same recycled politicians.... Information like name of party leader, background ie how it was formed, any ethnic bias, popular/non popular, chances of success in 2015 etc will be much appreciated, thank you. Yes, i dont live in Nigeria before anyone asks...

Nobody? Or are you all just as confused?

PDP: Power house of Nigeria. Almost like a cult. Morally lacking, but open for participation of anyone who cares to belong. Started by Alex Ekwueme and co, who have been muscled out almost. All groups in Nigeria have an effective representation in PDP, hence only recently do you see sections succeeding in establishing effective mini political machinery in the party. Situations in PDP are highly fluidic and can summersault in just a day. The President is extremely powerful in the party.

APC-
The new political machinery of Tinubu. It is the merger of all the following parties. It is essentially a newly designed but untested war machine. Sole intention is to get the king out of the castle. It was suppose to be nationalistic, However, Tinubu currently towers above all, and controls the machinery as well as strategy. Tinubu matches PDP politicians in the game of election and political machination, hence platforms associated with him are highly undemocratic and not less morally wanting. He however is quite innovative in looking where he is least expected.

ACN - essentially a Yoruba party championed by Tinubu. Tinubu is a seasoned politician who has styled himself after the South West premier Obafemi Awolowo. You will often find him in pictures wearing the round rimmed spectacles that was a trade mark of Chief Awolowo. He has successfully attracted the cult following of late Awolowo to himself, via this subtle image replacement. ACN has been very successful inthe South West on account of Tinubu's smart use of a justice Salami to wrestle some states from PDP, while Obasanjo turned an unbelievable blind eye. However, all Of ACN and now APC are on the tight strings of Tinubu. Only what he's says goes. Serving Governors live in absolute respect or fear of his decisions, including Fashola of a Lagos state.

ANPP - Generally a northern Party whose history is as long as that of PDP, but hardly as powerful. They could not gain national appeal following their Sharia law stance in OBJ's era. The then Zamfara state Governor was essentially the face of ANPP. More recently, they were severely affected by the Sai Buhari wave that swept the north in the wake of last presidential elections. They lost a lot of their hold to Buhari's CPC in a flick of a magic wand.

CPC - Is just Buhari's attempt to relaunch himself on the National scene. It was quite a success in Northern Nigeria, but was greatly hampered by Buhari's image as an Islamist in the south especially the Southern East, where it is almost non existing. However, in a rather surprise move from the the supposedly heady man, Buhari in response to various criticism on him, has allowed his Identity in CPC to be swallowed by Tinubu in APC through all the merger. Infact, it seems he has also lost his voice to speak openly as in a typical Tinubu style he is now censured by the party on what when and where he can talk. He was recently sent on a visit to the Bishop of Canterbury in an attempt to improve on his image as an Islamist.
End of APC.

APGA- is an Igbo party, built on the cult following of Ikemba Ojukwu in the South East. It is a party whose epicenter lies in the sentiments of many Igbos for the lost Biafra struggle for independence. The major victory of the party which saw the Peter Obi take the mantle of leadership was a a court verdict, but more likely one of the last and rare moves of Odumegwu Ojukwu, reaching far behind the scenes to reach a deal, in the face onslaught by the Uba Brothers against the then incumbent Governor of Anambra state, Ngige. However, the non obvious was that it was the hand of Obasanjo against his most eminent threat in PDP at the time, Chief Alex Ekwueme. Rather than loose to the stubborn little Ngige whose loyalty was not certain, he'd rather let Ojukwu have it. APGA is currently facing elections in Anambra State, with a poorly chosen candidate, APC is capitalising on this failure in an attempt to prove the viability of its new war machine on the national scene.

Labour Party -
Essentially, not much pedigree or political history. This is the platform used by a former PDP politician to successfully wrestle for power against Tinubu's APC in Ondo state. Ondo being the only Yoruba state with commercialised oil resources, it seems to be a statement of independence by the most likely South West regional beast of burden should there be a space for regional government.

The so called New PDP, is just an attempt by Politicians from northern Nigeria to split the ruling Party PDP in order to unseat the president come 2015. It is hardly a party, but seven Governors opposed to president good luck Jonathan. The christening, new PDP stems from the intention to split PDP structure, which is proving quite difficult under the tenacious grasp of Goodluck Jonathan. The Governors are not willing to leave PDP, as the party has a formidable political machinery, which even an incumbent Governor will find a challenge to beat. Most of the Governors also have powerful rivals waiting to take over the reins as soon as they exit the party. A couple of horse trading has been going on, this includes some of the less subtle replacement of ministers and attempted replacements. What is obvious is that the Governors are using these negotiations to stall GEJ from rebuilding a structure in their states, they will continue to throw up disagreements till election period is close, when they will make a mass movement. However, they are least likely to go to APC as these are very powerful men, who will not stand under Tinubu, and while Tinubu will not be willing to loose his party machinery to them.

The Governors are also afraid the Presidency might unseat them using the courts, given the clause in the constitution, which allows only for party change based on disagreement. As things are now they cannot claim effectively to have disagreements with PDP. Further few months will see the Presidency actively empowering parallel PDP structure in their states in preparation for their exit. You might note that while they are delaying the president from rebuilding, they too cannot effectively establish and empower their platform(PDM) in a very short time. Obviously their only choice is APC which has absorbed all the viable northern parties, a falter by northern politicians. Hence, they have to make their choice quick, accept a definite relegation in PDP, or join APC, or brave it early and try to work out a new platform.

Thanks KenGali for your very informative posts.

Who is Labour Party leader please? Also APGA?

Howmanage: Thanks KenGali for your very informative posts.

Who is Labour Party leader please? Also APGA?

Labour Party only Gov. Is Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State.
APGA current leader is Peter Obi of Anambra State. Note that these are not party Charmen, but political leaders.

Interesting, thanks

Pls can someone list out the current sum total of the political parties in Nigeria with their full meanings

KenGali:
Labour Party only Gov. Is Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State.
APGA current leader is Peter Obi of Anambra State. Note that these are not party Charmen, but political leaders.