Nigeria’s First Republic came under renewed scrutiny in 1965 as political instability and unequal voting rights dominated national discourse, according to the March 26 edition of the Daily Times.
President Nnamdi Azikiwe raised concerns over the rising trend of party defections, describing it as a threat to democratic accountability. He advocated that politicians who switch parties should automatically lose their legislative seats, a stance aimed at preserving the mandate of voters.
The report also highlighted disparities in women’s voting rights across the country. While women in the Western and Eastern Regions had gained the right to vote and contest elections as far back as 1954, those in Northern Nigeria remained disenfranchised—a situation that would persist until 1979.
Observers at the time warned that persistent defections, coupled with unequal political participation, were deepening cracks within the republic’s democratic framework.
The developments came during the final full year of the First Republic, which lasted from 1960 until its collapse in 1966, after which Nigeria experienced a prolonged interruption of democratic rule.
