Soon after the country gained independence from France in 1960, UDV-RDA became the only legal political party in Upper Volta and a civilian dictatorship was set up. In 1966, there was a military coup to overthrow the government. Under the rule of
Sangoulé Lamizana UDV-RDA was reconstructed and developed good relations with the government. However, there was internal dissent between a pro-Lamizana faction, led by Prime Minister
Joseph Conombo, and an anti-Lamizana faction led by
Joseph Ouédraogo. By the 1978 presidential and legislative elections, though the UDV-RDA had a unified party list for the legislature, the factions each favoured a different presidential candidate. The party officially supported Lamizana's candidature. The dissidents, grouped as the 'Rejectors Front-RDA' (
Front du Réfus-RDA) supported the candidature of Joseph Ouédrago. After the elections this faction split away and joined the
Voltaic Progressive Front of
Joseph Ki-Zerbo. After the elections Lamizana joined the party. The
National Union of Independents (UNI) and the
African Regroupment Party (PRA) also merged into the party because the 1977 Constitution limited the number of political parties to three, and PRA and UNI had lost their legal status after the election, having come fourth and fifth. When Lamizana was overthrown in 1980, military rule was reinstituted, and the RDA never returned to power. == Electoral history ==