A HISTORICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE EVOLUTION OF POLITICAL PARTIES IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. Background of the study

The genesis of political party creation in Nigeria may be traced back to the colonial period. Prior to the arrival of colonialism, the concept of political parties was completely unfamiliar. Jinadu (2019) posited that political parties are included in the category of "migrated social structures," which refers to organisational systems that were physically transferred from European metropolitan centres to Asia and Africa and implanted in the new colonial context (Kapur and Vaishnav, 2018). Therefore, it is essential to acknowledge the profound importance and lasting impact of British colonial policies while examining the process of political party development in Nigeria. According to Okwudiaba Nnoli, ethnicity is the primary cause of the formation of political parties prior to independence, more so than any other considerations. According to him, politics during the age of the nationalist fight for independence from colonialism was primarily characterised by conflicts stemming from the pursuit of objectives that were not aligned with the national interest. The merging of the Northern and Southern protectorates of Nigeria in 1914 began a remarkable endeavour in socio-political engineering. The foundation of political parties in colonial-era Nigeria may be traced back to the Clifford constitution of 1922, which established the concept of elections (Kehinde, 2016). The constitution promoted the establishment of political parties to enable Nigerians to compete for the available seats in the Legislative Council. The elective principle marks the initial stage of Nigeria's electoral progression. Subsequently, Herbert Macaulay led the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP), which successfully competed for and secured all three seats designated for Lagos in the 1992 Legislative Councils elections. This can be seen as a positive and auspicious beginning for the endeavour. The Lagos Youth Movement was established in 1934. The movement was established by alumni of Nigeria's foremost college, King's College, Lagos. The individuals that established the organisation were Ernest Ikoli, H. O. Davies, and Samuel Akinsaya (Olaopa, 2019). The aims of the LYM were focused on specific regions and were centred on advocating for improvements in living circumstances within the colonial setting. In 1936, the organisation known as LYM underwent a transformation and became the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM), a larger and more inclusive political organisation that operated across Nigeria. In 1937, the membership of the NYM was reinforced when Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe returned to Nigeria from Ghana. In 1938, the organisation promptly established chapters in several cities around the nation, and subsequently released its Youth Charter and Constitution. Nevertheless, the movement experienced the introduction of ethnic parochialism during an election conducted to replace the vacant seat left by Dr. Kofo Abayomi, who was appointed to the Executive Council. Ernest Ikoli, the President of NYM at the time, sought to replace Kofo Abayomi in the legislative council. However, his ambitions were met with opposition by Samuel Akinsanya, who also desired the same empty seat. The party ultimately chose Ikoli for the position, which prompted a group lead by Dr. Azikiwe to claim that Samuel Akinsanya was not preferred by the main Yoruba faction within the party due to his minority Ijebu background (Olaniyan and Amao, 2015). The Nigerian Youth Movement failed to effectively handle the internal conflicts, resulting in the disintegration of what might have been Nigeria's first countrywide political organisation. The National Council of Nigeria and Cameroon (NCNC) was established in 1944 as a successor to the Nigerian Youth Movement, becoming a prominent national political organisation. The party was established by the amalgamation of many clubs and associations, including the Ibo State Union. Sir Herbert Macaulay spearheaded the leadership, with Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe fulfilling the role of national secretary (Olatunbosun, 2018). Following Herbert Macaulay's demise in 1946, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe assumed leadership of the party. The party vehemently opposed the colonial rulers and reportedly sent a formidable team to London in 1946 to articulate the complaints of the nationalists against the Richard's constitution. The subsequent gathering was the Action group of Nigeria A.G, established by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, derived from a Yoruba socio-cultural organisation known as the Egbe Omo Oduduwa. In his book "Path to Nigerian Freedom" published in 1947, Awolowo acknowledged that due to the diverse ethnic composition of Nigeria, it was inevitable for political parties to first emerge from their respective ethnic backgrounds before aiming to establish a national platform (Olorunmola, 2017). The Northern Peoples Congress (NPC), similar to the AG, was established in 1951 by the Hausa cultural group known as Jammiyyar Mutaine Arewa. Therefore the study seeks to historically asses the Evolution of Political Parties in Nigeria.

1. 1. Statement of the problem

The development of political parties in Nigeria has been characterised by several obstacles. It is crucial to acknowledge that the political environment is always changing, and there may have been recent events since that time. The emergence of political parties in Nigeria has been historically accompanied by several problems. Nigeria is a heterogeneous nation with several ethnic groups, and political parties often face the difficulty of reconciling interests among these groups (Omilusi and Amao, 2019). Certain political parties may have a tendency to be controlled by certain ethnic or regional concerns, resulting in a deficiency of national unity. A multitude of political parties in Nigeria encounter obstacles pertaining to internal democracy. Party leadership posts are sometimes filled by non-democratic methods, resulting in factionalism and internal strife. This undermines the general cohesion of the parties and impairs their capacity to offer a unified stance. Furthermore, several political parties in Nigeria have faced censure due to their susceptibility to the influence of influential persons often referred to as "godfathers." This process might result in the consolidation of power within a small group of persons and restrict the independence of political parties (Yagboyaju, 2019). To tackle these difficulties, it is necessary for political leaders, civil society, and the general public to make continuous and dedicated efforts to enhance democratic institutions, encourage openness, and cultivate inclusiveness in the political process. Hence, the need to historically assess the evolution of political parties in Nigeria.

1.3 Objective of the study

The broad objective of the study is to historically assess the evolution of political parties in Nigeria. The specific objectives is as follows

1. To examine history of political parties in Nigeria.

2. To assess whether political parties facilitate political representation for diverse groups within the Nigerian society.

3. Investigate whether political parties have foster ethnic and regional harmony in Nigeria.

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared to guide the study

1. What is the history of political parties in Nigeria?

2. Have political parties facilitate political representation for diverse groups within the Nigerian society?

3. Have political parties foster ethnic and regional harmony in Nigeria?

1.5 Significance of the study

The findings of the study will be significant to the Nigerian government, citizens and policy makers in the following ways

Teaching and Education: Political parties are integral to the curriculum in political science, government, and related disciplines. Academia uses the study of political parties to teach students about the functioning of democratic systems, the role of political actors, and the impact of parties on policy formulation and implementation.

Academia: the findings of the study will be significant to academia as it will contrbute to the existing literature on the subject matter.

1.6 Scope of the study

The study focuses on a historical assessment of the Evolution of Political Parties in Nigeria. Hence, the study will examine history of political parties in Nigeria, assess whether political parties facilitate political representation for diverse groups within the Nigerian society and investigate whether political parties have foster ethnic and regional harmony in Nigeria.

1.7 Research Methodology

Research methodology deals with the different ways or methods the researcher applied in order to carry out the research as well as the instrument used for gathering the data. There are several research methodologies appropriate for answering the research questions. The type of research methodology used in this research to gather data and relevant information is the historical research. This will involve the making of oral interviews and collections of materials from secondary sources, such as books, journal articles, magazines, internet sources, international and national conference proceedings, published and unpublished articles.

1.8 Definition of terms

Political party: an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular

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