The NPN presidential candidate in the Second Republic was

The National Party of Nigeria (NPN) was one of the major political parties in Nigeria's Second Republic (1979-1983). Its presidential candidate was Alhaji Shehu Shagari, who won the 1979 presidential election and became the first executive President of Nigeria under the 1979 Constitution.

Shehu Shagari won a contested election against candidates from other major parties. He secured victory in a result that was controversially upheld by the Supreme Court, particularly regarding whether he had met the constitutional requirement of winning at least one-quarter of the votes in two-thirds of the then 19 states.

The other candidates mentioned ran under different parties:

• Chief Obafemi Awolowo was the presidential candidate of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), which had its stronghold in the Yoruba-speaking Western states.
• Mallam Aminu Kano was the presidential candidate of the People's Redemption Party (PRP), a progressive party with strong support in Kano and parts of northern Nigeria.
• Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was the presidential candidate of the Nigerian People's Party (NPP), with its base primarily in the Igbo-speaking Eastern states.