From last week, this is the fifth and concluding part of this discourse which traces and recalls developments from the First Republic, touching base on the Babangida military regime which in line with its political transition programme set up a Constituent Assembly to draw up a draft for a new constitution for the country. The CA submitted the draft to Gen Babangida on  April 5, 1989. 

On May 3, 1989, General Ibrahim Babangida lifted the ban on political activities, while the National Electoral Commission headed by Professor Eme Awa (December 15, 1921- March 11, 2000) recommended six political associations to the Armed Forces Ruling Council, AFRC, for registration on September 26, 1989. The political associations were the People’s Solidarity Party, Nigerian National Congress, Peoples’ Front of Nigeria, Liberal Convention, Nigerian Labour Party and the Republican Party. 

On October 7, 1989, General Babangida in a broadcast to the nation dissolved the political parties, claiming that they had been hijacked by some individuals as their personal property. He then created two political parties by decree—the Social Democratic Party, SDP, and the National Republican Convention, NRC. He also created the Centre for Democratic Studies, CDS. 

In creating the two parties, General Babangida declared that: “By this decision, the AFRC has declared its acceptance of the principles of a grassroots democratic two-party system. It is our belief that the system shall: provide a grassroots basis for the emergence of political parties, establish a grassroots or mass platforms for the emergence of new leadership, give equal rights and opportunities to all Nigerians to participate in the political process irrespective of their wealth, religion, geo-political backgrounds and professional endeavours, de-emphasise the role of money in politics and reduce to a minimum level, the element of violence in our electoral process. 

“Preclude the emergence of political alliances along the same lines as in the First Republics and therefore, give Nigerians a new political structure within which to operate, ensure the emergence of a new, more dedicated and more genuine leadership cadre, which will not be a mere proxy for old political warlords, chart a new pattern of political recruitment and participation which will enhance Nigeria’s stability, establish strong instructional structures which should not only sustain future governments, but also be strong enough to stand the test of time and establish a political system that will be operated according to the spirit and letter of the Constitution of the Federal Republic”. 

Between July 21 and 25, 1990, the National Republican Convention held its convention in Port Harcourt. Chief Tom Ikimi was elected as the Chairman. At its own convention in Abuja, the SDP elected Ambassador Baba-Gana Kingibe as the chairman. On December 2, 1991, General Babangida arrested and detained eleven banned politicians. They were Abubakar Rimi, Maitama Yusuff, Lateef Jakande and Lamidi Adedibu. Others were C.C. Onoh, Chief Bola Ige, Chief Arthur Nzeribe, Dr. Olusola Saraki, Mr. Solomon Lar, and Major General (rtd.) Musa Shehu Yar’Adua.

On September 23, 1992, ten presidential aspirants of the SDP, withdrew from the contest scheduled for Saturday, September 26, 1992, claiming that the party was bent on imposing Major General Musa Shehu Yar’Adua(rtd) on the party. The aspirants were Chief Olu Falae, Olabiyi Durojaiye, Arthur Nzeribe, Alhaji Datti Ahmed, Mahmud Waziri, Lateef Jakande, Drs Olusola Saraki, Patrick Dele Cole, Layi Balogun, and Professor Jerry Gana. 

A few weeks later, the same General Babangida banned 21 presidential aspirants, leaving only Chief M.K.O. Abiola of the SDP and Alhaji Bashir Tofa of the NRC to contest the June 12, 1993 presidential election.  The election was annulled later by General Babandiga, while General Sani Abacha (September 20, 1943 – June 8, 1998) sacked the elected governors, the Interim Government of Chief Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan (May 9, 1936 – January 11, 2022) and also the two political parties. 

Joining the ruling party is only a partial solution to the country’s problems. Apart from personal consideration, there must be enough justification for joining the ruling party in terms of performance. To me, the destination must be good governance which we are still expecting from the APC because, we are in a bad shape at the moment. 

Concluded 

Eric Teniola, a former director at the Presidency, wrote from Lagos.