Crossing the red line by the Opposition and Government(2), by Eric Teniola

From last week continues the narrative on the elections which were to be held in 312 single member constituencies throughout the country of which 174 were in Northern Nigeria, 62 in Western Nigeria, 73 in Eastern Nigeria and three in Lagos as part of the 1959 general election

The dissolved House was elected in 1954 and consisted of 184 elected members and six special members to represent special interests (commerce, shipping, banking, etc.). On August 29, 1957, the first Prime Minister of the Federation, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (December 1912 – 15 January 1966), was appointed and a coalition government was formed. 

No less than 26 parties were registered to contest the elections but by common consent the main contests lay between the Northern People’s Congress of Northern Nigeria, the Action Group of Western Nigeria and the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons of Eastern Nigeria. Each of these parties was contesting the elections either directly or through its allies. 

For the first time voting was by secret ballot throughout the country. All registered adults in Western and Eastern Nigeria were eligible to vote and all registered adult males were eligible in Northern Nigeria. 

An amendment to the Constitution Orders in Council provided for the establishment of a Senate consisting of not less than 56 appointed members plus those members of the Federal House of Representatives who were Members of the Council of Ministers. The Governor-in-Council of each Region and the Commissioner of the Cameroons would each appoint 12 for Lagos (one being the Oba of Lagos and one from the White Cap and War Chief of the Capital) and four were appointed by the Governor-General, Senators should not be less than 40 years old. 

By January 1959, the Premier of Eastern Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (16 November 1904 – 11 May 1996), and Chief Obafemi Awolowo (6 March 1909 – 9 May 1987), Premier of the Western Region had decided to stand as candidates in the federal elections that would take place in December. Dr. Azikiwe’s decision followed a unanimous resolution of the executive committee of the NCNC expressing the belief that “in the interest of the nation and the party and in consonance with the wishes of the people, Dr. Azikiwe should be a member of the Federal Legislature”.

The Sardauna of Sokoto of the NPC and Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, had stated that he did not intend to try to enter the Federal House. It was believed that Dr. Endeley, Premier of the Southern Cameroons, would not stand as a federal candidate either. 

In October, Professor Eyo Ita, a member for Calabar in the Eastern House of Assembly and the Leader of the United National Independence Party resigned from the party and joined NCNC. 

This was in accordance with the dictates of his conscience and in obedience to the chiefs and members of his constituency. The professor was for many years the first national Vice-President of the NCNC. From 1952 to May 1953, he was the leader of Government Business and Minister of Natural Resources in the East. During the constitutional crisis in 1953, he resigned and formed the National Independence Party, which later merged with Mr. Alvan Ikoku’s faction to become the UNP. Professor Ita was the leader of the opposition from then until March 1957, when he was displaced by Mr. S.G. Ikoku of the Action Group. He resigned from COR state movement in September 1959.

By October 25, 1959, political leaders were fully engaged in election campaign. There were accusations of intimidation, bribery, hypocrisy, etc. Each party’s representatives had made official complaints to the Governor General about their treatment in the Regions controlled by their opponents. At a press conference held in Lagos, Mr. K. Bovell, Inspector-General of the Nigeria Police described actions which police were taking to ensure fair and orderly elections. There would be 5,000 Nigeria policemen; 1,200 L.A. police and 6,000 Special Constables to maintain order.

Polling stations would number 25,400: 9,600 in the North; 8,000 in the East; 7,500 in the West; and 300 in Lagos. Nine million people would be entitled to vote. The statistics of registration were as follows: Northern Region-3,885,000(entitled to register); 3,640,284 (actual registration) and 93.7% (percentage registration), Eastern Region—3,423,000(persons entitled to register), 2,598,234 (actual registration) and 75.7% (percentage registration), Western Region—2,759,000 (entitled to register), 2,653, 188(actual registration) and 96.2 (percentage registration) and Lagos—1777,000(persons entitled to register), 144,000 (Actual registration) and 81.6%(percentage registration).

In the North where the NCNC claimed that party supporters had been attacked at Bida and the NEPU claimed that NA had been obstructive, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe said that he hoped that the rulers of the Region would realise social upheaval could not be resolved by harsh laws and imprisonment. In their turn, the Northern government blamed disturbances on visiting politicians for bad manners and lack of tact, although Alhaji Aliyu Makama Bida had said that Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his supporters had violated Northern traditions, for which they would never be forgiven.

…to be concluded

Eric Teniola, a former director at the Presidency wrote from Lagos

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