The first political party in Nigeria was formed by Herbert Macaulay in 1922. In 1936, Dr. James Churchill Vaughan and H.O.Davis both Christians, formed the Nigeria Youth Movement for the Lagos City Council election 1937. With the return of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe from overseas in 1944, the National Council of Nigeria and Camerouns was formed. It was only in 1951 that the Action Group and the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) were formed.
Before Independence, Parties were formed and required no registration. The Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) and Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) of Kano was not registered. NEPU was affiliated to the NCNC of the east, while the United Middle Belt Congress of the Middle Belt was affiliated to the Action Group (AG). Both AG and UMBC were not registered. In 1979, when registration of Parties was introduced, the NPC became the National Party of Nigeria, and a break way faction of the NPC became the Great Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP). The AG became the Unity Party of Nigeria(UPN) while the National Council of Nigeria and the Camerouns (NCNC) became the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP). NEPU became the Peoples Redmption Party (PRP) for the 1979 elections.
The UPN, NPP, PRP and GNPP became known as progressives – the left, while NPN became known as the conservatives – the right. When Babangida established the two political parties, the progressives became the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the conservatives became the National Republican Convention (NRC). In the 1993 elections, the NRC won 16 Governship positions, 275 House of Representatives seats, 37 Senate seats in contrast to SDP with 14 governors, 314 house of Representative seats and 52 Senates seats, in addition to the annulled Presidential election also won SDP. There was no dispute with respect to the election of Governors, Members of the Legislative Houses in the States and Federal, yet Senators Governors and Legislators were removed by Abacha.
It has been alleged that they had become a wing of the conservative coalition and when new parties were registered in 1996, the allegation was that some military government functionaries provided funds for the formation of these political parties and the only parties funded by these functionaries were registered. Which explained why four Muslims occupied the chairman positions of the five political parties. The NPC, NPN, NRC axis metamorphosed into the five parties, UNCP, CNC, DPN, NCPN and GDM while the progressives promoted parties were not registered. This justified the allegation that those five political parties are five fingers of one axis – NPC. The Hausa/Fulani once again showed its ability to manipulate events to its advantage.
Sharing The National Cake
The national cake at the moment is oil. In the pre-independence period the national cake then was agriculture and the minerals distributed between the regions: Cocoa, groundnut, palm oil, timber, rubber, coal, tin and columbite. The principle for sharing the national cake then was derivation, which meant the each region kept what it had and paid a percentage to the federal purse. As a result, Bendel (Edo-Delta) in 1974/75 earned 25.3% of the total statutory allocation while Rivers (Rivers & Bayelsa) earned 20.5% of allocation which meant that the oil producing states of Bendel and Rivers had 45.8% of allocation. Today Edo and Delta have only about 7% and Rivers and Bayelsa about 6.5%. This is not all. Those who distributed the national cake since 1983 have been Muslims in the main. The Head of State has been an effective distributor of Federal funds and largesse. No major contractor is paid without the approval of the Head of State. The Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) created in 1996, controlled by a Muslim could award contracts up 50 million.
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•Established on 8th March 1895 named after Rev. Hope Masterton Waddel who arrived Calabar -1846. He had an intimidating array of old students whose names are synonymous with the evolution of modern, and a unique history of introduction of games of football and cricket in Nigeria as far back as 1902. The school boasts of old boys in the like of Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe – Nigeria’s – first president, the one and the only Zik of Africa who discovered Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Other old boys are: Sir Dr. Francis Akanu Ibiam – first Africa Principal of Hope Waddell and Premier of eastern region, Chief Dennis Osadebey – first Premier of Mid-west. Dr Allvan Ikoku educationist par excellence and the only candidate that made distinction in the London, Cambridge in 1924 through Hope Waddell. Dr Alvan and Zik’s bursts adorn Nigeria’s 500 and 10 notes. Hope Waddell proudly owns the one and only man of timbre and caliber of Nigeria’s politics- Dr kingsley Ozuma Mbadiwe, Dr Eni Njoku the first Vice Chancellor of the prestigious Unilag, Professcor Eyo Ita, founder of WAPI, Sir Odumegwu Ojukwu – Emeka Ojukwu’s dad and first millionaire in Eastern Nigeria. Late Supreme Court Justice Andrew Obaseki, Sir Kalu Idika Kalu, Sir Abimbola Olaiya the music icon. He passed through Hope Waddell.
•The history of O.A.U can’t be in order without the pioneering role of its former General Secretary Nzo Ekangaki of Cameroom an Alumnus of the revered Hope Waddell. Chief Adeniran Ogunsaya started off at Hope Waddell and ended up at Kings College, Lagos. Hope Waddell’s role in the educational, economic, social and sporting development of Nigeria is unique and the most productive of all. Thank u sir – Edet Essien ESQ Calabar. 08056615168
