Electoral Crisis – SS2 Government Lesson Note (Third Term)

An electoral crisis is a breakdown of order or a serious dispute that follows an election marked by rigging, boycott or a rejected result. This note covers the crises of the federal election of 1964, the Western Nigeria election of 1965, the general elections of 1979 and 1983, and the Kaduna State crisis of 1981.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• name the alliances that contested the 1964 federal election and their leaders;
• describe the events that led to the Western Nigeria crisis of 1965;
• explain the controversy over the 1979 presidential election result;
• state why the 1983 general election was disputed and how it ended;
• outline the causes of the Kaduna State executive/legislative crisis of 1981.

What was the federal election crisis of 1964?

The general election of 1964 led to a crisis that shook the foundation of Nigeria and threatened the unity of the country. Both the major and minor political parties formed alliances for the federal election.

The alliances

Factions of the A.G. and the NCNC joined the Northern Progressive Front, made up of NEPU (Northern Elements Progressive Union) and the Middle Belt Congress, to form the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA). It was led by Dr. M.I. Okpara and formed on June 3, 1964. On August 20, 1964, the NPC, the NNDP, the Mid-Western Democratic Front (MDF) and the Dynamic Party formed the Nigeria National Alliance (NNA) under the leadership of the Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello.

The campaign and the boycott

As the electioneering campaign began, crude and obnoxious methods were used as campaign strategies. UPGA candidates complained that they could not file their nomination papers in the Northern and Western Regions, which were controlled by the NPC and the NNDP. Electoral officers were reported to be absent when UPGA candidates wanted to file their papers.

A UPGA delegation met the President to protest their grievances and warned that they would boycott the election if these were not redressed. President Nnamdi Azikiwe asked the Prime Minister, Tafawa Balewa, to postpone the election, but the Prime Minister rejected the request. The election was held on December 30, 1964. Members of UPGA boycotted it in different parts of the country. Voting took place in the Northern and Western Regions, some parts of the Mid-West and Lagos, but not at all in the Eastern Region.

The deadlock

The outcome of the election favoured the NNA. On January 1, 1965, the President said he found it awkward to carry out his constitutional duty of calling on the leader of the winning party to form a new government. There was a deadlock, and for three days there was no government at the federal level. Prominent Nigerians, such as the Chief Justice of the Federation, had to intervene.

At last, the President invited the outgoing Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa of the NNA, who promised to form a broad-based government. The government was made up of members of the NCNC, but no member of the Action Group was included in the cabinet.

What was the Western Nigeria election crisis of 1965?

The emergence of UPGA and the NNA as the two dominant groups meant that their rivalry at the national level shifted to the Western Nigeria election of 1965. The A.G. represented UPGA, and the NNDP represented the NNA. Both sides saw the election as very important and not to be underestimated.

Before the election

The NNDP, the party in power in Western Nigeria, imposed a curfew and other stringent measures to frustrate UPGA members in some parts of the region. After the Western House of Assembly was dissolved in preparation for the elections, the irregularities of the federal election appeared again. UPGA candidates could not collect nomination forms, and in most cases electoral officers were absent from their duty posts. The campaign was also marked by thuggery, hooliganism, killing, arson and looting.

Alhaji D.S. Adegbenro, the leader of UPGA, petitioned Governor Sir Odeleye Fadahunsi about the malpractices, but the petition did not yield any result.

The election and the two governments

The election took place on October 11, 1965, amid many malpractices, such as the smuggling of ballot boxes, the burning of opponents’ ballot boxes and unfair counting of votes. It was announced that the NNDP won 88 out of the 98 seats contested.

In reaction, Alhaji Adegbenro called a press conference at Ibadan, in the house of the jailed Chief Awolowo. He announced that UPGA won 68 out of the 98 seats, declared himself Premier of the region and appointed eight ministers to his cabinet.

The outcome

With two governments in the same region, the stage was set for a serious political crisis. At last, Chief Akintola was sworn in as Premier and Alhaji Adegbenro was arrested. Violent demonstrations, chaos, rioting and a complete breakdown of law and order followed in the Western Region. It was reported that about 1,000 people lost their lives and about 5,000 houses were burnt down, while the newly elected Premier went into hiding. The crisis continued until the coup d’état of January 15, 1966 put a stop to it.

What was the general election crisis of 1979?

The 1979 general elections were unique because they took place under the newly introduced presidential system of government. They ushered in Nigeria’s Second Republic after 13 years of military government. Before the elections, the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO), headed by Chief Michael Ani, registered five political parties out of about 52 political associations that emerged when the ban on political associations was lifted.

The parties and their candidates

The elections

Five different elections took place between July 7 and August 11, 1979, on five different Saturdays:

• Senate: July 7
• House of Representatives: July 14
• State Assemblies: July 21
• Governorship: July 28
• Presidential: August 11

In the Senate election, out of a total of 95 seats, the NPN won 36, the UPN 28, the NPP 16, the GNPP 8 and the PRP 7.

The presidential election controversy

The presidential election was the most controversial of all. No candidate won 25% of the votes in two-thirds of the federation. Alhaji Shehu Shagari, who was eventually declared the winner, won 25% of the votes cast in 12 states.

The question that arose was what number of states should count as two-thirds of 19, that is, 12 2/3. FEDECO accepted the NPN’s formula, and Alhaji Shehu Shagari was declared the winner. Chief Awolowo, who came second, took the matter to the Presidential Election Tribunal, headed by Justice B.O. Kazeem, and later to the Supreme Court, presided over by the then Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Atanda Williams. Both declared that the election of Alhaji Shehu Shagari was in order.

What was the general election crisis of 1983?

Another election was conducted at the end of President Shehu Shagari’s first term of four years. It was the second general election of the Second Republic and was conducted under the civilian government then in place. Five registered parties took part in 1979, but this time there was one more. FEDECO registered the Nigeria Advance Party, formed by Mr Tunji Braithwaite, which brought the total to six parties. The five parties that contested in 1979 made few changes in the candidates they fielded.

The arrangement for this election, made by the government-controlled FEDECO under the chairmanship of Justice Ovie Whiskey, differed from that of 1979. The presidential election came first, followed by the governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and, finally, State Houses of Assembly elections. It was argued that this new arrangement was meant mainly to favour the party in power.

Alhaji Shehu Shagari was declared the winner after the presidential election of August 6. Massive rigging and falsification of election figures were alleged in many centres. The number of NPN-controlled states increased from 7 to 10. The party in government was accused of masterminding the rigging, possibly to remain in power. There were reports of rioting, looting, arson and violent demonstrations in some areas. The military intervened on December 31, 1983.

What was the Kaduna State executive/legislative crisis of 1981?

Main features

1. The PRP won the governorship election of 1979 in Kaduna State. Alhaji Balarabe Musa, its flag bearer, became governor on October 1, 1979.
2. The PRP did not have the majority of seats in the State House of Assembly. The NPN won the majority of seats and held both the position of Speaker and that of majority leader.
3. The constitution required the governor to present his nominated commissioners to the State House of Assembly.
4. Alhaji Balarabe Musa presented his list of nominated commissioners three times, and the House rejected the list each time.
5. This led to a strained relationship between the executive and the legislature.
6. The NPN-controlled legislature was bent on removing the governor through a process known as impeachment.
7. Different charges and accusations were levelled against the governor to create enough reasons for his impeachment or removal.
8. Some state assemblies in the country tried to mediate, but without success. The legislators were determined to remove the governor.
9. The report of the committee set up to investigate the allegations was adopted, and the Speaker of the House, Alhaji Mamman Dan Musa, served the impeachment notice on the governor.

Evaluation

1. Name the two alliances that contested the 1964 federal election and state the leader of each.
2. Describe what happened in Western Nigeria after the election of October 11, 1965.
3. What was the controversy over the 1979 presidential election, and how was it settled?
4. Why was the 1983 general election criticised, and how did it end?
5. Why did the Kaduna State House of Assembly want to impeach Alhaji Balarabe Musa?

Assignment

Write short notes on the Western Nigeria election crisis of 1965 and the Kaduna State crisis of 1981, using the points in this lesson.