http://www.gallaudet.edu/~dpenna/NigeriaRep.html

Parties and Elections

Mars N. Haikali

1a) Since 1993, national elections of the Babangida
government has been voided
1b) Abacha regime becomes powerful; party activities bar
in Nigeria
1c) Parties play important roles in the past of the Nigerian
politics, continuing bases of support and reemerging constitutional arrangements

2a) Herbert Macaulay’s first modern party forms to contest

Nigerian Legislative Council elections in Lagos in 1923

2b) Several movements argue powers for local level under

Macaulay and Nnamdi Azikiwe of National Council of

Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC)

3a) Its organization advocates greater representation in the
Nigerian colonial government
3b) Its chapters set up across Nigeria

4a) The British introduces more democratic, but more
decentralised constitution in 1951; NCNC breaks up along
with ethnic lines
4b) 1951 Constitution mandates indirect elections in houses of
assembly at least 3 regions; Lagos in Western Region,
where the Yoruba majority takes place
4c) Opposition party – Action Group (AG) – emerges under
the leadership of the young Yoruba lawyer, Obafeni
Awolowo
4d Azikiwe’s NCNC wins in multiethnic Lagos; the AG wins

its majority of seats in the Western Region, but NCNC

wins overall the Eastern Region, where Azikiwe’s own

Igbo ethnic group is in its majority

5a) Beginning – forces with both NCNC and AG asserting for
movement in multicultural issues, cross-regional direction
5b) AG spoils up and hastens to push for movement towards
independence; NCNC eventually comes to be identified
with the Eastern Region and its Igbo people.

6a) North – Success of Britain’s application of indirect rule,

resulting in the alliance between the colonial administration

and its traditional emirs of modern political movements

6b) South – Such movements arise amongst Western-educated

people outside of the control of any traditional authority –

whilst north (youth) get education from their families of

traditional elites

6c) NEPU – the Northern Elements’ Progressive Union –
under Mallam A. Kano only operates the margins and
tensions of its emirates
6d) NPC – the more conservative movement – Northern
Peoples’ Congress takes over by the Sardauna (traditional
title) of Sokoto and a Hausa commoner, Abubakar Balewa

7a) General Ironsi assumes power following the breakdown of
political order of in Western Region; first coup and his
moves is to stop all parties and big number of political
associations
7b) Country remains without formal parties from 1966 until
preparations return to its civilian rule (1979)
7c) General Yakubu Gowon [head of state – 1966-1975]
regards a creation of one-party state in Nigeria with him as
leader of a national movement

7d) Nigeria’s diversity makes its conception impossible to

achieve … such northern leaders suggest southern

domination whilst other politicians wait for its return of

civilian rule

8a) Gowon is unable to decide on a course of action; and

before any plan is adopted

8b) Taking power, M. Muhammed set in a motion the process

of return to civilian rule, but the military regime set up a

Constitution Drafting Committee

8c) Muhammed lies down several principles and encourages

them to find some means by which government can be

formed without parties (politics), but to guarantee true

national political parties

8d) Drafters of the constitution say that to be elected president,

a candidate has to have poll of at least 25 percent of the

votes casting in each at least two-thirds of the states

9a) Elections are controlled by the Federal Election

Commision (FEDECO) in which all parties must register

9b) Elections of 1979 & 1983 are difficult to analyse because

five parties contend for President, Senate and House seats

and state assemblies

Five parties are as follows:

National Party of Nigeria (NPN) – Up-income Northerners and a successor to its former NPC

Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) – Led by Chief Awolowo & is reincarnated to AG

Nigerian Peoples’ Party (NPP) – Ibrahim’s party appeals to minorities in each region against its three big ethnic groups – one of those under its leadership of Azikiwe –NPP title and become manifestation of NCNC
Great Nigeria Peoples’ Party (GNPP) – Led by Waziri’s Faction and its breakup of NPP

Peoples’ Redemption Party (PRP) -- Under Northern radical Kano

10a) National Election Commission (NEC) entrusts to establish

task formation for its guidelines of parties

10b) 13 groups later petition NEC for recognition

10c) After careful scrutiny, NEC certifies 5 parties to Armed

Forces Ruling Council for having met their specifications

10d) Documents of dissolved parties charges by Babangida

11a) Election finally starts in June 1993

11b) International and Nigerian observers say it fair election

generally

11c) Results – not officially announce by NRC – and military

leadership regime is not acceptable

11d) No implementation of Abacha’s declaration so far