2.2 Historic: Nigeria Politics

Political parties have existed since time immemorial in the history of the Nigerian project and internal democracy has always been a bone of contention. Independence in Nigeria was said to have broken the cord of colonialism and the nation became a sovereign state to decide her future.

1908 and 1951 are important dates in the political history of Nigeria – while what could be described as the first modern political association was formed in the former; full party politics began in the latter. The People’s Union (PU) was formed in Lagos in 1908 by two leading medical practitioners, John K. Randle and Orisadipe Obasa. The Union was formed to protest Governor Walter Egerton’s proposed water rate. The People’s Union also spearheaded opposition to the British colonial administration’s attempt to introduce a land tenure programme into the Western Provinces. Again, the protest was led by the People’s Union, and it was a huge success.

However, by 1916, the People’s Union had become moribund. Two factors were responsible for this. One, during the First World War, the British did not tolerate any form of agitation that could jeopardise her war efforts; and two, Randle and Obasa’s volte-face and dramatic reversal of their position on the water rate controversy and eventual support of the colonial government’s proposal.

The demise of the People’s Union led to the emergence of a socio–political body known as the Reform Club (RC) in December 1920. However, the Reform Club was nothing more than the reincarnation of the People’s Union as it was led by Randle and Obasa as President and Secretary respectively. Like its predecessor, membership of the Reform Club was drawn from the well-to-do and Lagos intelligentsia. However, the political associations did not demand radical changes in government policy, neither did they question or challenge the legitimacy of colonial rule

Elective principle in Nigeria came with the Clifford Constitution of 1922 which conferred restricted and conditional franchise on certain classes of Nigerians. Four elective seats were allocated: three to the municipality of Lagos and one to Calabar. There were three levels of restrictions under the 1922 constitution. One, only adult males could vote. Two, the enfranchised must possess a residential qualification of 12 months; and three, a £100 yearly income.

Nigeria finally returned to civilian rule after another six years of military rule and General Obasanjo came to power under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on May 29, 1999 and handed over to late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua of the same political party after defeating the opposition Action Congress (AC) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). However, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua could not complete his first time in the office is vice Goodluck Jonathan over and he was one in a second time in 2011 after winning at the polls.

Another political party, the All-Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) was formed and participated in the election but was only able to win a couple of states in the southeastern part of the country.

In preparation for 2015 election, the action congress formed an alliance with the current Congress for progressive change CPC and they were joined by faction of the APGA the name of the reformed political party was All Progressive Congress (APC). This political party presented the former military president Muhammadu Buhari as the flagbearer and won the election.

Note: The transition to the Fourth Republic in 1999 served as a turning point in Nigeria’s politics. So far, it has been the longest period of democratic governance in Nigeria, and one that has seen Nigeria’s political landscape transition from an embryonic state towards maturity.