Nigeria’s first national election since independence exposed the fragility of democratic institutions. The December 1964 federal election was delayed in several areas, particularly in the Eastern and Western Regions, due to opposition boycotts and administrative disputes. The ruling Northern People’s Congress-led coalition secured a parliamentary majority, but allegations of manipulation and intimidation undermined public trust.
Opposition parties accused the federal government of bias in electoral administration. The courts, while formally competent, failed to resolve disputes decisively, leaving many Nigerians sceptical about the credibility of the electoral process. Rather than uniting the country, the election deepened political divisions and set the stage for conflict in the regions.
Western Region Crisis and Operation Wetie
Tensions escalated in the Western Region during the October 1965 regional election, which followed a court-mandated rerun. The election saw the Nigerian National Democratic Party faction of Ladoke Akintola declared victorious, a result widely regarded as manipulated and unfair by opposition supporters.
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The announcement of results sparked mass violence known as Operation Wetie. Political supporters attacked homes, offices, and vehicles, using petrol to ignite fires. While exact casualty figures remain uncertain, widespread destruction of property and disruption of normal life were reported across the region. The crisis highlighted the inability of local law enforcement to fully contain the unrest and reinforced public doubts about the impartiality of political institutions.
Corruption, Patronage, and Public Distrust
Alongside electoral disputes, allegations of corruption and patronage intensified public frustration. Political office increasingly functioned as a means to reward loyal supporters through contracts, appointments, and access to resources. Ordinary citizens faced rising unemployment, limited infrastructure, and social hardship, in sharp contrast to the comfort and influence of political elites.
This growing gap between elite privilege and public need eroded trust in governance. Many Nigerians viewed political leadership as self-serving, a perception that undermined confidence in the republic’s ability to deliver stability or prosperity.
Census Controversies: Regional Fears of Dominance
Population figures were central to representation and allocation of resources. The 1962 national census was cancelled after accusations of inflation and undercounting. The replacement census in 1963, though officially published, was contested by Eastern and Western Regions, which feared permanent numerical and political advantage for the Northern Region.
These disputes transformed the census from a technical exercise into a political flashpoint. Leaders and citizens alike perceived demographic data as a tool for maintaining or challenging regional influence, contributing to the broader perception that constitutional mechanisms favoured some regions over others.
Cumulative Impact and Path to Military Rule
The combination of disputed elections, regional violence, corruption, and census controversies gradually eroded the legitimacy of the First Republic. Constitutional mechanisms appeared unable to resolve disputes fairly, while public confidence in civilian governance declined. By January 1966, many Nigerians, including segments of the military, viewed the political system as incapable of managing national conflict. This environment paved the way for the military coup that ended the First Republic.
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Author’s Note
The collapse of Nigeria’s First Republic was the result of a series of interconnected crises that left the country politically unstable. Disputed elections in 1964 and 1965, Operation Wetie in the Western Region, widespread allegations of corruption, and contested census figures all combined to weaken trust in governance and regional relationships. These events demonstrated that democratic structures, if undermined by partisanship and administrative failures, could not sustain national cohesion. Understanding these pressure points is essential to grasp why the military felt compelled to intervene in 1966.
References
- Max Siollun, Oil, Politics and Violence: Nigeria’s Military Coup Culture 1966–1976
- Richard L. Sklar, Nigerian Political Parties: Power in an Emergent African Nation
- Toyin Falola and Matthew Heaton, A History of Nigeria
- Gerardo Serra and Morten Jerven, Contested Numbers: Census Controversies and the Press in 1960s Nigeria, Journal of African History, Cambridge University Press
