SUMMARY
Non-state clashes have on several occasions broken out in connection to the political struggle in Nigeria, between supporters, or members, of political parties, resulting in deaths. Such clashes have usually taken place in connection to elections, with the aim of securing electoral victory. The non-state violence between the groups has also included targeted killings of party officials. At times, the clashes between the political parties and their supporters have overlapped with local conflicts over land, resources or other issues. The perpetrators have usually gotten away with impunity, as a consequence of the corrupt, and highly politicized, judiciary system in Nigeria. This is especially true regarding conflicts involving the PDP since they are the ruling party.
The other dyads that belong to the same Political conflicts cluster of non-state conflicts are; Supporers of AD – Supporters of PDP and Supporters of PDP – Supporters of UNPP.
The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have competed for political power since their formation 1998. At times, the clashes between the ANPP and the PDP have overlapped with local conflicts over land, resources or other issues. The typical pattern of violence between these actors is fighting carried out in connection to elections, and electoral campaigns. Rigging, stealing or tampering with ballots, as well as voter intimidation have all been present in the ANPP – PDP non-state conflict. The violence in this conflict was particularly intense during 2003 and 2004 as well as 2008. The violence is almost exclusively carried out in connection to elections, or in connection to political campaigns. Rumours of outcomes or aggressive campaigning are issues that have escalated into violence between supporters of the different parties.
The ANPP - PDP conflict must also be viewed in the broader spectrum of the ethnic and religious non-state conflicts that have ravaged Nigeria in the past and intensified with the end of military rule, from 1999 and onwards. The conflicts throughout Nigeria have ethnic, political, economic, and religious components, which have become inextricably linked over time, pitting various groups and alliances of groups against each other along different dividing lines.
The non-state conflict between the Supporters of ANPP and the Supporters of PDP is first included in UCDP data in 2003. In connection to the elections in April that year, several clashes broke out between ANPP and PDP supporters, causing over 25 battle-related deaths.
