During Nigeria's Second Republic (1979–1983), the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) was the political party with the widest spread of membership across the country. The NPN aimed to establish a national presence by appealing to diverse ethnic and regional groups, which contributed to its popularity and success in multiple regions. It was the ruling party, and it won the presidential elections in both 1979 and 1983 with Shehu Shagari as its candidate.