2011 Nigeria National Elections
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candidates. Even the country's largest party, the PDP, inconsistently selected its candidates and
failed to follow a transparent primary process apart from the presidential nomination. A number of
court cases arose in the aftermath of the primaries, highlighting that many parties failed to select
their representatives in the legally prescribed manner. Unable to challenge or sanction parties for
their conduct, however, INEC was forced to recognize each party's final selection of candidates,
despite obvious flaws in how these candidates were chosen.
Political Environment
Since his ascension to the presidency in May 2010, Jonathan had raised hopes of implementing
meaningful reform. His appointment of Jega as Chairman of INEC—a man known for his
integrity—was well-received, as was his decision to sign the 2010 Electoral Act into law.
A critical political moment occurred in September 2010, however, when President Jonathan
announced via Facebook his intention to compete as the PDP candidate in the 2011 presidential
election. Jonathan's intention to run for the presidency was considered a violation of the PDP's
unwritten zoning agreement. While some feared that Jonathan's candidacy could jeopardize
Nigeria's fragile democracy, others felt that Jonathan—himself a southerner—might have the ability
to build upon the progress made by Yar'Adua and sustain peace with the militants in the Niger
Delta.
President Jonathan faced a number of critics and needed to win the PDP primary in order to
compete in the April presidential election. Within his own party, northern elites were upset by the
president's dismissal of the zoning agreement, which—if followed—should have resulted in a
northern presidential candidate in 2011. Outside of the PDP, critics expressed concern over
Jonathan's unwillingness to endorse the more progressive elements of the Electoral Act, such as the
amendment calling for INEC's complete independence from the executive, and the creation of an
electoral offenses commission.
As the PDP presidential primary approached, the political environment in Nigeria was tense and
uncertain. Competing against President Jonathan for the PDP nomination was Atiku Abubakar, a
northerner and a former Nigerian vice president. Abubakar, like many northerners within the PDP,
expressed his displeasure over President Jonathan's refusal to recognize the zoning agreement and
made this a main component of his platform throughout his primary campaign. In the end,
however, President Jonathan won the PDP presidential primary with more than 77 percent of the
delegates voting for him.
As President Jonathan secured the PDP nomination, other presidential aspirants entered the field
from opposition parties. Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the former chairman of Nigeria's Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, won the nomination for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and
General Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler, emerged as the CPC nominee. Ibrahim
Shekarau, the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) nominee, was another leading candidate.
Ribadu, who was forced into exile during Yar'Adua's presidency, was widely recognized for
effectively battling corruption in Nigeria. Though he had spent the previous two years in the United
States, the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was respected for
his willingness to weed out corrupt individuals. General Buhari, likewise, was another candidate
who was well-respected by the Nigerian people. Not only did he have experience leading the
