Federal election 1964 - SS3 Government Lesson Note

The Federal election of 1964 in Nigeria was a highly controversial event that was marked by electoral malpractices, violence, and fraud. The crisis arose due to widespread allegations of rigging, voter intimidation, and other irregularities in the electoral process. This led to a lack of confidence in the election results, with many political parties and individuals disputing the outcome.

The crisis was exacerbated by the deep-seated ethnic and regional tensions that existed in Nigeria at the time. The Northern region, which was the largest and most populous, felt marginalized and disadvantaged by the election results. This led to protests and demonstrations, which were met with force by the federal government.

The crisis eventually led to the collapse of the first republic and the subsequent military coups that followed. The aftermath of the crisis also led to a major realignment of political forces in Nigeria, with the emergence of new parties and the decline of the traditional ruling parties.