Date: October 11, 1965.
In accordance with the 1960 Constitution, a new election was due in 1965 for the Western Nigeria House of Assembly, following the previous election held in 1960. By this time, three main political parties contested the election: the Action Group (AG), the National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC), and the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP). The NNDP, led by Premier Samuel Ladoke Akintola, was formed in 1963 after the AG crisis of 1962–63. This new party had gained significant influence, having secured most of the seats allocated to the Western Region in the 1964 federal elections, which were boycotted by the AG under the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA).
The elections took place on October 11, 1965, in an atmosphere of intense political tension. The process was marred by widespread electoral malpractices, including ballot box stuffing, destruction of opponents’ ballot boxes, and manipulations in vote counting. At the conclusion of the voting process, the official results declared the NNDP victorious, winning 88 out of the 98 contested seats.
In response, Alhaji Dauda Adegbenro, an AG candidate, held a press conference at Ibadan in the residence of the imprisoned Chief Obafemi Awolowo. He claimed that the UPGA had, in fact, won 68 out of the 98 seats and subsequently declared himself the rightful Premier of the Western Region. He proceeded to appoint eight ministers to form a government. This resulted in a political standoff, as two rival governments now laid claim to the leadership of the region.
Ultimately, Chief Akintola was officially sworn in as Premier, while Adegbenro was arrested. These events triggered violent demonstrations and widespread chaos across the Western Region, leading to a complete breakdown of law and order. The unrest, known as “Operation Wetie,” saw widespread destruction, with an estimated 1,000 people losing their lives and about 5,000 houses set ablaze. The crisis escalated to such an extent that Akintola was forced into hiding.
The turmoil persisted until the military coup of January 15, 1966, which ultimately brought an end to the crisis and led to a shift in Nigeria’s political landscape.
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