Historical Perspective of Nigerian Politics
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
There have been many efforts to by progressives to lead Nigeria or to take the helm in Nigeria’s politics as a viable opposition and all have failed. At the onset the first elections 1n 1954 the first government was a coalition government of all parties by 1959 regional politics ensured there was no single victorious party yet again another coalition that of NPC & NCNC which seemed like strange bed fellows, Zik was likely to be the first Premier had the progressives of the South united, but it is felt that he opted for coalition with NPC so that the North would not feel marginalised by a southern led government. Brinkmanship in Nigeria: The Federal Elections 1964-65; International Journal Vol. 20, No. 2 (Spring, 1965), pp. 173-188
The lesson being that any viable party must be a national one encompassing membership, followership & votes from all regions to succeed. To date we must concede that PDP has done this all be it via significant rigging in places. This stranglehold is fast being diluted.
The first effort of developing a viable progressive alternative government was in the 1964 elections with the formation two political groupings (formative two party system) Nigerian National Alliance (NNA) and the United Grand Progressive Alliance (UGPA) which failed miserable to win the election due to partial boycott, widespread rigging and clandestine manoeuvrings of the incumbency. Such as the imposition of State of emergency in the Western Region, splintering of AG vote, Coker Commission of Enquiry; culminating in the trial & imprisonment of Awolowo & prominent AG leaders, the undermining of Northern minority parties such as NEPU, NPF & UMBC, dissolution of NCNC following 1962 Census as well as the creation of Midwest Region,
Following the debacle of the 1979 elections with the 2/3 of 19 states decision, the conservatives represented by NPN despite winning only 33.77% of the vote won the Presidency. The combined vote of the progressives
There have been many efforts to by progressives to lead Nigeria or to take the helm in Nigeria’s politics as a viable opposition and all have failed. At the onset the first elections 1n 1954 the first government was a coalition government of all parties by 1959 regional politics ensured there was no single victorious party yet again another coalition that of NPC & NCNC which seemed like strange bed fellows, Zik was likely to be the first Premier had the progressives of the South united, but it is felt that he opted for coalition with NPC so that the North would not feel marginalised by a southern led government. Brinkmanship in Nigeria: The Federal Elections 1964-65; International Journal Vol. 20, No. 2 (Spring, 1965), pp. 173-188
The lesson being that any viable party must be a national one encompassing membership, followership & votes from all regions to succeed. To date we must concede that PDP has done this all be it via significant rigging in places. This stranglehold is fast being diluted.
The first effort of developing a viable progressive alternative government was in the 1964 elections with the formation two political groupings (formative two party system) Nigerian National Alliance (NNA) and the United Grand Progressive Alliance (UGPA) which failed miserable to win the election due to partial boycott, widespread rigging and clandestine manoeuvrings of the incumbency. Such as the imposition of State of emergency in the Western Region, splintering of AG vote, Coker Commission of Enquiry; culminating in the trial & imprisonment of Awolowo & prominent AG leaders, the undermining of Northern minority parties such as NEPU, NPF & UMBC, dissolution of NCNC following 1962 Census as well as the creation of Midwest Region,
Following the debacle of the 1979 elections with the 2/3 of 19 states decision, the conservatives represented by NPN despite winning only 33.77% of the vote won the Presidency. The combined vote of the progressives