by Olukoya Ogunfowora
ΒΆ UNLIKE the Fulanis and the Ibos whose everlasting desire is to dominate Nigeria from Sokoto to Lagos, from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri, the YorΓΉbΓ‘s have never been comfortable with this Nigeria’s Union. Their noble desire is for a peaceful seperation. This was the reason for Awolowo’s proposal for a SECESSION CLAUSE in the constitution. While it was supported by Ahmadu Bello, it was strongly opposed by Azikiwe because it didn’t conform to the domineering ambition of the Ibos. The colonial masters supported Azikiwe’s position because it fitted into their own agenda to keep us perpetually chained to them.
ΒΆ In pursuit of his conquest desire, Azikiwe made immense effort through the NCNC to be the Premier of the Western Region when it was time for the elections and in 1951.
ΒΆ However, when the NCNC lost out, instead of Azikiwe to nobly accept defeat, he went to town through the propaganda machinery of his newspaper, The West African Pilot, to claim that NCNC won but the results were manipulated to favout the Action Group (AG).
ΒΆ Anyway, the following are the accurate records, as against beer parlour and Ochanja market concoction.
ΒΆ The stubborn fact of history that propagandists will not talk about is that the continuous false claim of NCNC’s victory in the 1951 Western Region election was challenged in court in 1959 by AwΓ³lα»Μwα»Μ, Akintola and Rotimi Williams in suits No. 1/58/59, 1/50/59, 1/60/59. Judgement was passed against Azikiwe and the West African Pilot for their false claims that NCNC won the elections but were denied victory by the illegal activities of the litigants. The court ruled that the claim was false and libelous. Each of the litigants was awarded Β£3,500 as damages with Β£250 as cost in 1961. This made a total of Β£11,250 against the accused.
ΒΆ Yet ten years later in 1971, Azikiwe still wrote in his book “MY ODYSSEY”:β
======================
“The NCNC was under the impression that it had won 43 seats out of 80 but 20 of the legislators whom they βregarded as members, supporters or sympathisersβ aligned themselves with the Action Group.β
======================
ΒΆ For goodness sake, what has your illusory impression got to do with the reality on ground? Unfortunately, this lie from the pit of hell was also echoed by the likes of M. T. Mbu and Ozumba Mbadiwe and it has become the sing-song of the Ibos today.
ΒΆ THE FOLLOWING ARE THE FACTS OF HISTORY:β
Please note that space will not permit me to be more detailed.
ΒΆ The first political party in Nigeria was the *Nigerian National Democratic Party* (NNDP) formed by Herbert Olayinka Macaulay on June 24, 1923. It was formed to demand for self government from the colonialists. It existed till it transformed to the *National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons* (NCNC) in 1944 after Ahmadu Bello formed the *Northern Peoples Congress* (NPC) in August 1943.
ΒΆ All southern politicians and political leaders of all tribes (including Awolowo) were in NCNC until 1946 when Macaulay died and Zik took over.
ΒΆ Within three years of Zik’s takeover, all key political positions in the NCNC had been thoroughly Ibolised (to the extent that today, NCNC is only remembered as an Ibo party).
ΒΆ When Awo realised that his progressive vision for the Nigeria couldn’t be realised under an Ibo-controlled NCNC and the parochial leadership of Azikiwe, he decided to transform his αΊΈgbαΊΉΜ α»mα» OdΓΉduwΓ to become the Action Group (AG) registered on 21st March, 1951. Very many YorΓΉbΓ‘s and some Mid-Westerners joined the AG while many YorΓΉbΓ‘s still remained in the NCNC.
ΒΆ However, many ΓbΓ dΓ n indegenes who also left NCNC with Awo grouped together as MΓ‘bα»lΓ‘jαΊΉΜ Grand Alliance and decided to register on June 21, 1951 as Ibadan Peoples Party (IPP) with Augustus Meredith Adisa Akinloye as their leader. It was under this banner that they contested the September 1951 elections. They never contested as NCNC candidates.
*THE ELECTIONS*
ΒΆ Mr. Harold Cooper was the colonial Government Public Relations Officer. In early August 1951, he requested all the political parties wishing to field candidates for the September elections to submit the names of the candidates who would be contesting under their platforms. Only the Action Group responded. They forwarded 68 names:
ΒΆ In the West Regional Assembly, 80 seats were to be contested for, but elections in 5 seats for Lagos and 3 seats for Mid-West were postponed due to security reasons. Therefore, 72 seats were contested for on 24th September 1951.
ΒΆ AG won 38 of the seats. The 5 Lagos seats which were contested for on November 20,1951 were all won by NCNC candidates. The 3 of Mid-West that was conducted on December 6, 1951 were all won by Otu Edo candidates. This completed the 80 seats,
ΒΆ The rule was that the party with at least 41 seats shall form the government.
ΒΆ The 38 AG candidates won.
ΒΆ Three AG Secretaries and the other candidate under AG who contested as independent won.
ΒΆ Total = 4
ΒΆ Total number of AG candidates for the assembly were already 42. That is 38 + 4 = 42.
ΒΆ Therefore, without a coalition, AG had crossed the winning line and were already qualified to form the government of the Western Region. Candidates of other parties that joined AG did so with the common sense and the desire to partake in the government of the ruling party rather than aligning with the opposition. Even if they all joined with NCNC, their maximum number of 38 wouldn’t nullify AG’s position as the winner.
ΒΆ Please note that:
1) These candidates were not NCNC members as at the time of the elections and did not contest under NCNC. They won their elections as candidates of their parties.
2) Their joining with the AG was not an overnight decision. The last elections were concluded on December 6, 1951, and the assembly was inaugurated on January 7, 1952. Negotiation took place long before the inauguration.
ΒΆ As I said before, it was of no consequence even if all the elected candidates joined with the NCNC.
ΒΆ Yet Zik went public, without any proof whatsoever to claim that many of the candidates that were declared winners under the AG were NCNC candidates. He said all 6 IPP members were really NCNC candidates. He also claimed that other party candidates that were declared for AG were NCNC members who “cross carpet”. When? How? No explanations, no evidence.
ΒΆ This made Mr. Cooper to call a a post election news conference in Lagos where he said:
=======================
“Of the winning candidates, the names of 38 were on the list sent to me by the Action Group. The six successful candidates at Ibadan were all among those who had been identified to me as representing the Ibadan People’s Party. No claim of any kind had reached us about the party affiliation of the remaining successful candidates.”
=======================
ΒΆ These are not invented tales. The records of all elections conducted by the colonial administration are available at the National Archives in Nigeria and in the archives of the Colonial Administration office in London. They are accessible to any diligent enquirer.
ΒΆ Unfortunately, it is the agelong habit of Ibos to falsely clam they were rigged out anytime they lost an election.
