NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS 

PUBLISHED BY ECHEKWU SUNDAY 

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NATIONAL PARTY OF NIGERIA

The NPN came into existence in 1978, formed by members of the former NPC and a few from other parts of Nigeria. Some of its members were Ali Monguno, Aliyu Makaman Bida, Adamu Ciroma, Imawada, Mailama Sule, Shehu Shagari, Adisa Akinloye, Richard Akinjide, MKO Abiola Olusola Saraki, k. o Mbadiwe, Joseph Tarka, c.c Onoh and Clememnt Isong

OBJECTIVES OF THE NPN

Dedication to the realization of a great improvement in the general prosperity and welfare of the rural dwellers.

Provision of shelter for the people of Nigeria

Provision of functional and qualitative education at the primary, secondary vocational technical and university levels in accordance with the Nigeria constitution.

Provision of food for the people through the policy of “green Revolution”

A comprehensive programme of rapid industrialization.

SOURCES OF FINANCE OF NPN

The NPN was financed through donations, levels, allocations, from the federal Electoral commission, sale of party publicity items, and membership subscription                                                            

ACHIEVEMENT

The NPN was the most national of all the five political parties in the second republic.

In 1979, the party won-gubernatorial elections in seven states while it won twelve in 1983 before the military took over.

It won the presidential elections twice (1979 and 1083). However, the second tenure was only three months old before the military took over.

It won the most seats in the house of representative and senate.

ORGANISATION AND SUPPORT OF THE NPN

The NPN maintained a secretariat at each of its four levels of organization, via the district and ward levels the town and local government level, the state level and the national level with officers to run each level.

There was a national executive and a national working committee. The NPN zoned most important positions in the party among the Northern, Western, eastern and minority groups.

The Unity party of Nigeria (UPN) Obafemi Awolowo was the founder and leader of the UPN. Other key members included Adekunle ajasin, Lateef Jakande, Mck Ajuluchukwu, Professor F.A Alli, Bola Ige, Philip Umeadi, J. S Olawonyi and S. m afolabi. Clement Gomwalk from Benue state was the national secretary while the national treasurer was Chia Surma from Benue state.

OBJECTIVES OF THE UPN

Free education at all levels for all citizens of Nigeria, and free and compulsory education at primary and secondary levels for children between the ages of six and seventeen. Special encouragement would be given to science and technology.

Integrated rural development to encourage agriculture, boost the production of food and prevent continuous migration from the rural areas to urban areas.

Full and gainful employment for all above-bodies Nigeria citizens.

Free Health services for all citizens of Nigeria.

ORGANISATION AND SUPPORT OF THE UPN

The UPN organized its members at different levels including the ward or local levels, state constituency with representative from all local government state executive council, state conferences for all members in each state chaired by the state governor.

SOURCES OF FINANCE OF THE UPN

The UPN was financed through allocation from the federal Electroral commission, ,e,bership subscription, donations, sales of party publicity items, and special levy on members of the party elected or appointed to governmental posts.

ACHIEVENMENTS OF THE UPN

The party implemented its four basic programmes, including free education and free health care in all states under its control.

The party won the gubernatorial elections in five states in 1983.

The party came second in the presidential elections of both 1979 and 1983 and had the second largest numbers of legislators in the representatives.

EVALUATION

Account for the achievements of the NPN

List the achievements of the UPN

[21/08 03:55] EKUNU: THE SECOND REPUBLIC, 1979-83

Nigeria Table of Contents

The first elections under the 1979 constitution were held on schedule in July and August 1979, and the FMG handed over power to a new civilian government under President Shehu Shagari on October 1, 1979. Nigeria's Second Republic was born amid great expectations. Oil prices were high and revenues were on the increase. It appeared that unlimited development was possible. Unfortunately, the euphoria was short-lived, and the Second Republic did not survive its infancy.

Five major parties competed for power in the first elections in 1979. As might be expected, there was some continuity between the old parties of the First Republic and the new parties of the Second Republic. The National Party of Nigeria (NPN), for example, inherited the mantle of the Northern People's Congress, although the NPN differed from the NPC in that it obtained significant support in the non-Igbo states of southeastern Nigeria. The United Party of Nigeria (UPN) was the successor to the Action Group, with Awolowo as its head. Its support was almost entirely in the Yoruba states. The Nigerian People's Party (NPP), the successor to the NCNC, was predominantly Igbo and had Azikiwe as its leader. An attempt to forge an alliance with nonHausa -Fulani northern elements collapsed in the end, and a breakaway party with strong support in parts of the north emerged from the failed alliance. This northern party was known as the Great Nigerian People's Party under the leadership of Waziri Ibrahim of Borno. Finally, the People's Redemption Party was the successor to the Northern Elements Progressive Union and had Aminu Kano as its head.

Just as the NPC dominated the First Republic, its successor, the NPN, dominated the Second Republic. Shagari won the presidency, defeating Azikiwe in a close and controversial vote. The NPN also took 36 of 95 Senate seats, 165 of 443 House of Representatives seats and won control of seven states (Sokoto, Niger, Bauchi, Benue, Cross River, Kwara, and Rivers). The NPN lost the governorship of Kaduna State but secured control of the Kaduna legislature. The NPN failed to take Kano and lacked a majority in either the Senate or House of Representatives. It was forced to form a shaky coalition with the NPP, the successor of the NCNC, the old coalition partner of the NPC. The NPP took three states (Anambra, Imo, and Plateau), sixteen Senate seats and seventy-eight House of Representatives seats, so that in combination with the NPN the coalition had a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Nonetheless, the interests of the two parties were often in conflict, which forced the NPN to operate alone in most situations. Even though the presidential form of constitution was intended to create a stronger central government, the weakness of the coalition undermined effective central authority.

The UPN came in with the second largest number of seats and effectively formed the official opposition, just as the Action Group had done in the First Republic. The UPN took five states (Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, and Bendel), 28 Senate seats, and 111 House seats. Awolowo continued as spokesman for the left of center. The Great Nigerian People's Party managed to win two states (Borno and Gongola), eight Senate seats, and forty-three House of Representatives seats. The People's Redemption Party, which was the most radical of the parties, won Kano and the governorship of Kaduna, seven Senate seats, and forty-nine House of Representatives seats.

A number of weaknesses beset the Second Republic. First, the coalition that dominated federal politics was not strong, and in effect the NPN governed as a minority because no coalition formed to challenge its supremacy. Second, there was lack of cooperation between the NPN-dominated federal government and the twelve states controlled by opposition parties. Third, and perhaps most important, the oil boom ended in mid-1981, precisely when expectations of continuous growth and prosperity were at a height.

There were many signs of tension in the country. The Bakalori Project, an irrigation scheme in Sokoto, for example, became the focus of serious unrest in the late 1970s when thousands of farmers protested the loss of their land, and police retaliated by burning villages and killing or wounding hundreds of people. Widespread dissatisfaction became apparent with the Maitatsine, or Yan Tatsine (followers of the Maitatsine), a quasi-Muslim fringe group that who sparked religious riots in Kano in 1980, and Kaduna, and Maiduguri in 1982 after police tried to control this activities. The disturbance in Kano alone resulted in the deaths of 4,177 people between December 18 and 29, 1980. In 1981 teachers staged a strike because they had not been paid. As the political situation deteriorated, the federal government looked for scapegoats and found them in the large number of foreign workers who had come to Nigeria in response to the jobs created by the oil boom. In the crackdown on illegal immigration, an estimated 2 million foreigners were expelled in January and February 1983, of whom 1 million were from Ghana and 150,000 to 200,000 from Niger.

The recession that set in with the fall in oil prices after the middle of 1981 put severe strains on the Second Republic. For political reasons, government spending continued to accelerate, and the frictions among the political parties and between the federal government and the states only reinforced financial irresponsibility. Nigeria's foreign debt increased from N3.3 billion in 1978 to N14.7 billion in 1982. By 1983 the nineteen state governments had run up a combined debt of N13.3 billion. Heavy investment in economic development continued unabated. In addition to finishing a steel mill at Ajaokuta in Kwara State, for example, a second plant opened at Aladje, near Warri, in 1982. Steel-rolling mills also were built at Jos, Oshogbo, and Katsina--sites chosen for political reasons. By 1987 N5 billion had been spent on the steel industry alone, most of this committed under the Second Republic, even although the economics of steel development were questionable.

Corruption once again was rampant under the Second Republic. It had been a serious problem since the civil war, when wartime contracts often were awarded under dubious circumstances. Corruption became more serious after the war, most notably in connection with the cement scandal of the early 1970s, the Festival of African Culture (FESTAC) in Lagos, and the development of Abuja as the new federal capital. Corruption under the Second Republic was even greater. Major scandals involved the Federal Housing Scheme, the National Youth Service Corps, the Nigerian External Telecommunications, the Federal Mortgage Bank, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the Nigerian National Supply Company. In addition, the halfhearted attempts to license imports and to control inflation encouraged smuggling, which became a major crime that went virtually unchecked. Umaru Dikko came to the attention of the international community because of an abortive plot to kidnap him in London and return him to Nigeria to stand trial for corruption. British authorities found him in a shipping crate on a runway moments before he was to be sent to Nigeria. Dikko was involved in many scandals, including the issuance of licenses to import rice--rice imports had risen from 50,000 tons in 1976 to 651,000 tons in 1982.

As elections approached in August 1983, economic decline that reflected low oil prices, widespread corruption, and continued government spending at record levels was proof to many that the Second Republic was in sad shape. The lack of confidence was evident in the massive flight of capital--estimated at US$14 billion between 1979 and 1983. The second elections under the Second Republic were to be its last. When the results were tallied in 1983, it was clear that there had been fraud. The NPN increased its control of states from seven to twelve, including Kano and Kaduna. Shagari was reelected president, and the NPN gained 61 of 95 Senate seats and 307 of 450 House of Representatives seats. Not even the supporters of the NPN expected such results. Considering the state of the economy and the public outcry over the rigged election, the Shagari government stayed in power for a surgprisingly long time.

  

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Source: U.S. Library of Congress

[21/08 04:02] EKUNU: SS2  Government  Third  Term:  Second  Republic  Political Parties  In  Nigeria Government,  SS  2,Third  Term Week  2&3 Topic:  Second  Republic  Political  Parties  In  Nigeria -National  Party  of  Nigeria(NPN)-Organizational  Structure The  party’s  beginning  could  be  traced  to  private  and  sometimes  secret  meetings  among  key Northern  Nigerian  leaders  after  the  proscription  of  political  parties  in  1966  by  the  military  regimes of  Johnson  Aguiyi-Ironsi  and  General  Yakubu  Gowon. A  few  members  of  the  proscribed  parties  based  in  the  Northern  section  of  Nigeria  began  to organize  to  form  a  northern  party  to  prepare  for  a  return  to  democracy,  the  group  also  approached southern  Nigerians  about  the  prospect  of  a  truly  national  party. A  constitutional  assembly  organized  in  1977  to  prepare  a  constitution  for  a  new  democratic government,  proved  to  the  best  avenue  for  members  of  the  burgeoning  group  to  meet  and  discuss plans  for  their  regions  and  nation.  On  September  20,  1978,  the  National  Party  of  Nigeria  was formed,  composed  of  members  of  the  constituent  assembly  and  was  headed  by  Makaman  Bida, an  old  Northern  People’s  Congress  (NPC)  member. Objectives  of  NPN •  Tomaintain  and  protect  the  unity  anbd  soverignty  of  Nigeria. •  To uphold  federalism  as  a  form  of  government  in  Nigeria. •  To preserve  and  safeguard  the  Nigeria  Cultural  Heritage. Performance  of  NPN At  formation,  the  party  was  able  to  draw  beyond  it  core  base  of  former  NPC  members  and attracted  some  First  republic  politicians  such  as  Joseph  Tarka,  former  leader  of  the  United  Middle Belt  Congress,  K.O.  Mbadiwe,  one  time  minister  and  Remi  Fani-Kayode,  a  former  NNDP  member. In  October  1978,  the  party  adopted  zoning  to  elect  party  officials.  The  party  then  elected  a  new chairman,  Augustus  Akinloye,  a  Yoruba  man  and  former  Nigerian  National  Democratic  Party government  minister  over  contenders  such  as  Fani  Kayode,  Adeyinka  Adebayo  and  Adeleke Adedoyin.  The  election  of  a  southern  Nigerian  paved  the  way  for  the  presidential  candidate  to  go to  the  core  base  of  the  party:  the  Hausa-Fulani states. One  of  the  campaign  promise  was  implementation  of  Green  Revolution  as  an  agricultural  policy. Unity  Party  of  Nigeria(UPN)-Organizational  Structure The  Unity  Party  of  Nigeria  (UPN)  was  a  Nigerian  political  party  that  was  dominant  in  western Nigeria  during  the  second  republic  (1978-1983).  The  party  revolved  around  the  political  leadership of  Obafemi  Awolowo,  a  sometimes  polemical  politician  but  effective  administrator.  However,  the party’s  main  difference  with  its  competitors  was  not  the  leader  but  the  ideals  of  a  social  democracy it  was  founded  on.  The  UPN  inherited  its  ideology  from  the  old  Action  Group  and  saw  itself  as  a party  for  everyone. Objectives  of  UPN 1  To ensure  free  education  for  all. 2  Intergrated  rural  development  which  was  aimed  at  boosting  food  production. 3  Provision  of  full  employment 4  Provision  of  free  health  facilities. Performance  of  UPN It  was  the  only  party  to  promote  free  education  and  called  itself  a  welfarist  party. The  desired  goal  of  the  military  government  of  Olusegun  Obasanjo  to  build  national  political  parties led  to  a  gradual  weakening  of  ethnic  politics  in  the  second  republic.  The  UPN  as  well  as  the People’s  Redemption  Party  (PRP)  presented  the  most  coherent  plan  of  action  during  the electioneering  campaign  of  1979.  The  party  jettisoned  building  a  coalition  of  comfort  in  a  polarized political  environment  but  based  partnerships  on  the  cooperation  of  like  minded  advocates  of democratic  socialism. The  Action  Congress  of  Nigeria  was  regarded  as  a  natural  successor  to  the  Action  Group  and

[21/08 04:02] EKUNU: UPN. Nigerian  Peoples  Party  (NPP)-Organizational  Structure The  Nigerian  Peoples  Party  (NPP)  was  one  of  the  major  political  parties  that  contested  elections  in the  Nigerian  Second  Republic.  The  party  was  made  up  of  three  major  groups:  the  Lagos Progressives,  Club  19,  and  the  Nigerian  Council  of  Understanding.  The  Lagos  progressives included  some  Lagos  based  NCNC  politicians  such  as  Adeniran  Ogunsanya,  T.O.S.  Benson  and Kola  Balogun.  The  National  Council  of  understanding  was  led  by  Waziri  while  Club  19  had Matthew  Mbu,  Solomon  Lar,  Omo  Omoruyi,  Paul  Unongo,  Antonio  Fernandez  and  others  as members. Objectives  of  NPP 1  To promote  unity  in  Nigeria  and  protect  her  territorial  integrity 2  To work  for  the  intergration  and  equality  of  the  peoples  of  Nigeria 3  To provide  free  and  high  quality  of  education  at  all  levels 4  To work  for  full  employment Performance  of  NPP Though  the  party  was  formed  to  create  a  national  outlook,  the  exit  of  Waziri  Ibrahim,  led  to  an erosion  of  politics  without  borders.  Waziri’s  exit  was  precipitated  because  he  wanted  to  be  the chairman  and  also  the  presidential  candidate  of  the  party.  The  party  later  became  to  be  seen  as an  eastern  Nigerian  party,  though  it  hard  scores  of  support  in  Plateau  State,  Rivers  State  and Lagos.  The  party  tried  to  promote  social  justice  and  social  change  as  vital  ingredients  of  its mission.  In  1979,  the  party  chose  former  president  Nnamdi  Azikiwe  as  its  presidential  candidate. In states  like  Imo  State,  leaders  such  as  the  governor,  Sam  Mbakwe  were  elected  with  landslide victories  (over  80%)  in  the  Imo  State  Legislative,  Gubernatorial  and  Presidential  Elections  in Nigeria  in  1979.  In  Imo  State,  the  NPP  Campaign  Director,  Party  Secretary  and  principal  architect in  electing  Sam  Mbakwe,  was  Dr.  Sebastian  Okechukwu  Mezu. Before  the  1979  elections,  the  party  took  some  political  hits,  about  254  of  its  candidates  were disqualified  from  contesting  electoral  seats,  the  second  most  out  of  the  five  major  parties. Nevertheless,  the  party  won  about  17%  of  the  House  of  Representative  seats  and  three gubernatorial  elections. The  Great  Nigeria  People’s  Party  was  one  of  the  six  major  political  parties  that  fielded  candidates for  elections  in  the  Nigerian  Second  Republic.  The  party  was  formed  by  a  splinter  group  from  the Nigerian  People’s  Party,  the  group  was  led  by  Waziri  Ibrahim,  a  politician  and  businessman  from Borno.  Waziri  was  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  three  associations  that  formed  the  nucleus  of  NPP. Objective  of  NPP The  original  intention  of  NPP  was  to  transcend  the  politics  of  ethnicity  and  to  promote  the  cause  of both  the  prominent  ethnic  groups  and  ethnic  minorities.  However,  the  entry  of  Nnamdi  Azikiwe  to NPP  led  to  a  power  struggle  in  which  Waziri  lost.  Waziri  then  led  a  group  of  minorities  in  the  north and  some  southerners  to  form  the  Great  Nigeria  Peoples  Party. Performance  of  NPP Though  the  original  intentions  of  leaders  of  the  party  was  to  surpass  ethnic  and  sectarian  politics, the  party’s  strength  nevertheless  lay  in  the  northeast,  among  the  Kanuris  and  some  northern minorities. In  the  1979  elections,  the  party  won  a  total  of  8  senate  seats,  mostly  from  the  Northeast  and  about 8.4%  of  total  votes  in  the  senate  election.  In  the  House  of  representative  election,  the  party  won about  43  seats  and  close  to  10%  of  the  overall  votes  in  the  election.  In  the  presidential  election, Ibrahim  Waziri,  the  party’s  candidate,  took  home  about  10%  of  the  total  votes  in  the  election. Peoples  Redemption  Party(PRP)-Organizational  Structure The  People’s  Redemption  Party  was  a  political  party  in  Nigeria.  The  Second  Republic  incarnation of  the  Northern  Elements  Progressive  Union  and  the  Fourth  Republican  incarnation  of  a  similar namesake,  the  party  was  created  by  the  supporters  of  Mallam  Aminu  Kano  after  his  withdrawal from  the  National  Party  of  Nigeria.  The  PRP  was  highly  regarded  as  a  progressive  left  of  center political  party.  Some  well  known  members  of  the  party  included  Governors  Abubakar  Rimi, Balarabe  Musa,  Dr.  Edward  Ikem  Okeke,  Abdullahi  Aliyu  Sumaila  and  Chinua  Achebe  —  who

[21/08 04:04] EKUNU: served  briefly  as  Deputy  National  President  in  the  early  1980s. The  original  party  was  banned  following  the  Military  Coup  of  1984  led  by  General  Buhari.  In  the Fourth  Republic,  the  party  with  the  same  name  resurfaced  under  the  leadership  Abdulkadir Balarabe  Musa;  it  could  however  not  gather  the  same  level  of  support  as  its  Second  Republican namesake. Objective  of  PRP The  main  objective  of  this  party  was  to  ensure  that  Nigeria  gained  freedom  in  every  capacity  as well  as  foster  unity  among  Nigerians. Performance  of  PRP In  the  1980s  a  coalition  of  politicians  styling  themselves  ‘Progressives’  called  for  a  national  front against  the  ruling  NPN  and  by  1981  a  conference  of  opposition  Governors  in  Nigeria had organized  into  a  ‘Progressive  Governors  Forum’.  The  active  participation  of  PRP’s  governors  and MP’s  in  these  conferences  that  were  by  1982  calling  for  a  mega  progressive  party  soon  led  to  a crisis  within  the  party.  In  mid  1982  a  suspension  of  PRP  Governors  by  pro  Aminu  Kano  elements and  a  subsequent  rejection  of  the  suspension  by  Micheal  Imodu  (then  Vice  President  of  the  party) led  to  official  fractioning. Upon  formation  of  the  PRP,  an  invitation  was  extended  to  Aminu  Kano  and  other  prominent leftists,and  he  was  soon  elected  as  the  party’s  national  president.  In  1979  the  party  was  able  to capture  2  out  of  12  states  and  came  third  in  the  national  elections.  Aminu  Kano,  died  in  April  1983, just  before  that  year’s  presidential  election.  Khalifa  Hassan  Yusuf  succeeded  him  as  party  leader and  presidential  candidate. Nigeria  Advanced  Party(NAP)-Organizational  Structure The  Nigeria  Advance  Party  was  a  progressive  political  party  during  the  Second  Nigerian  Republic, registered  for  the  1983  elections.  Headed  by  lawyer  Tunji  Braithwaite,  known  for  his  opposition and  as  a  lawyer,  the  party  was  the  only  new  political  organization  allowed  to  field  candidates  for the  1983  elections.  The  party  was  composed  of  southern  Nigerian  intellectuals  favoring  a  reformist government. The  party  was  launched  on  13  October  1978  in  Ibadan.  Party  leaders  initially  took  a  cautious attitude  towards  the  idea  of  free  education,  but  later  advocated  free  university  education  and mandatory  primary  education.  It  positioned  itself  as  an  alternative  to  the  old  politicians  of  the  first republic. In  its  first  two  decades,  Nigeria  witnessed  extensive  military  rule.  Gen.  Olusegun  Obasanjo  was the  last  military  head  of  state  prior  to  the  1983  elections. Tunji  Braithwaite  was  a  prominent  Lagosian  who  claimed  that  Nigeria’s  potential  could  be achieved  by  reform—especially  through  the  eradication  of  deep-rooted  corruption.  Notable associates  of  Tunji  Braithwaite  include  Wole  Soyinka,  Nobel  Peace  Prize  Winner,  and  musician Fela  Anikulapo  Kuti,  whose  mother  was  murdered  by  soldiers  in  a  raid  on  Fela’s  Kalakuta Republic  under  Obasanjo’s  Military  Regime.