The party system that Nigeria operated in the aborted Third Republic is

Analyze the question: The question asks which party system Nigeria used in the aborted Third Republic (1992-1993).

Concept: Party systems are classified by the number of parties that compete for power:

• Zero party: no parties (e.g., military rule)
• One party: only one legal party
• Two party: two parties dominate or are the only ones allowed
• Multi-party: many parties compete freely

Solution:

1. The Third Republic was the transition programme of General Ibrahim Babangida's military government.
2. The government decreed that only two parties would be allowed. It dissolved the many associations that had applied for registration.
3. It created two parties by decree: • Social Democratic Party (SDP): described as "a little to the left" • National Republican Convention (NRC): described as "a little to the right"
4. The June 12, 1993 presidential election was contested by these two parties. Moshood Abiola (SDP) ran against Bashir Tofa (NRC). The annulment of that election is why the republic was "aborted."

Therefore, Nigeria operated a two party system in the Third Republic.

Why the others are wrong:

• A (zero party): this describes military rule with no parties, and does not describe the transition programme.
• B (one party): Nigeria has never officially had a one-party system in a republic.
• D (multi-party): this was the case in the First Republic (1960-66), the Second Republic (1979-83, with 5 parties), and the Fourth Republic (1999 to date), but not the Third.

Exam tip: Remember "Third = Two": the Third Republic had two parties, SDP and NRC. For Second Republic questions, remember the five parties: NPN, UPN, NPP, GNPP, PRP.