Parliamentary elections were held in Nigeria on 30 December 1964, although they were not held until 18 March 1965 in some constituencies in Eastern Region, Lagos, and Mid-Western Region due to a boycott in December. The election saw most parties run as part of alliances, the Nigerian National Alliance (the Northern People’s Congress, the Nigerian National Democratic Party, the Midwest Democratic Front, the Dynamic Party, the Niger Delta Congress, the Lagos State United Front and the Republican Party) and the United Progressive Grand Alliance (the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons, Action Group, the Northern Progressive Front, the Kano People’s Party, the Northern Elements Progressive Union, the United Middle Belt Congress and the Zamfara Commoners Party).
“This” elections were highly disputed and some young military officers felt they could change the country so they planned a coup, but after killing the politicians and other top military officers, they saw how difficult the problem was. Ironsi took power and created a unitary govt but the ethnic dimensions infiltrated the political dynamics and due to the over politicization of the Military Ironsi was killed when he was visiting Adekunle, after his killing the power swayed to the North and Gowon took over and the tribal forces were still dominant, there was a need to go to Aburi, but Aburi accord wasn’t respected and Nigeria fought a long protracted war.I dare argue that if the military hadn’t taken over the matter will not be complicated.I dare say, once the military tasted blood they never wanted to go back,so we must be careful about this talk of coups. In 83, some months after a new government came in, the military took over and set us back many years. we all remember the ill-executed economic policies that led to the downfall of our economy. Also, it is delusional to think the politicians you want to avoid will not play a role in the military government, Politicians always play a role in those governments its still about their nefarious games. Suffice to say,most of the current crop of politicians benefitted from the military govt.who organized the one million man march for Abacha? take a wild guess! Ghosts! NO! POLITICIANS!
While i reject coups and Military take overs.I am also circumspect enough to remind you that politicians also cause a big problem but we must not forget that they are democratically elected.This is why I call on the political class to do well by the people, we can’t forget the heinous atrocities of the last administration like the endSARS and other inane methods of administration, we cannot forget how President Buhari took us back to the highroad of economic disaster,and that is why I call on the leadership class to be circumspect by building strong institutions and making democracy work. There is no perfect governance system in the world, but democracy gives the right of choice, and that is golden.
