1947 Nigerian general election

General elections were held in Nigeria in 1947. The Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) won three of the four elected seats in the Legislative Council.

Electoral system

The elections were the first and only elections to be held under the 1946 constitution introduced by Governor Arthur Richards. There were few changes to the electoral system created by the 1922 constitution; the number of elected members remained at four (three from Lagos and one from Calabar), and the only significant reform was the reduction in the annual income qualification for voters from £100 to £50.[1][2]

The number of official members was reduced from 27 to 16, and included the Governoer, 13 ex officio members (the Chief Secretary, the Chief Commissioners of the three provinces, the Attorney General, the Financial Secretary, the Directors of Agriculture, Education, Medical Services and Public Works, the Development Secretary and the Commissioners of Labour and of the Colony) and three nominated officials (senior residents in Kano and Oyo provinces and a resident from British Cameroons.[3] However, the number of appointed unofficials was increased from 15 to 24, with nine members from the Northern Provinces (the Emirs of Abuja, Gwandu, Igbirra and Katsina and five others nominated by the House of Assembly), six members from the Western Province (the Ooni of Ife, the Oba of Benin and four others nominated by the House of Assembly), five members from the Eastern Provinces (all nominated by the House of Assembly), one member from the Colony of Lagos and three members to represent otherwise unrepresented interests.[4]

Campaign

Seven candidates contested the elections, five for the three Lagos seats and two for the Calabar seat. In Lagos the NNDP nominated the journalist Nnamdi Azikiwe, barrister Adeleke Adedoyin and sitting Council member Abubakar Olorun-Nimbe, whilst F. O. Coker and Ernest Ikoli (also a Council member) ran as independents. However, Ikoli withdrew his candidacy prior to election day.[5]

In Calabar the seat was contested by the incumbent Okon Efiong and E. E. E. Anwan, both of whom ran as independents.[5]

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Nigerian National Democratic Party	10,295	93.58	3	+3
Independents	706	6.42	1	–1
Total	11,001	100	4	0
Valid votes cast
Invalid/blank votes
Total votes cast
Registered voters/turnout
Source: Tamuno

By constituency

Constituency	Candidate	Party	Votes	%	Notes
Lagos	Nnamdi Azikiwe	Nigerian National Democratic Party	3,573	33.70	Elected
	Adeleke Adedoyin	Nigerian National Democratic Party	3,377	31.85	Elected
	Abubakar Olorun-Nimbe	Nigerian National Democratic Party	3,345	31.55	Elected
	F. O. Coker	Independent	308	308
	Invalid/blank votes			–
	Total		3,573	100
	Registered voters/turnout		5,379	66.42
Calabar	E. E. E. Anwan	Independent	275	69.10	Elected
	Okon Efiong	Independent	123	30.90
	Invalid/blank votes			–
	Total		398	100
	Registered voters/turnout
Source: Tamuno

References

1. Tekena N Tamuno (1966) Nigeria and Elective Representation 1923−1947, Heinemann, pp18−20
2. Tamuno, p38
3. Joan Wheare (1949) The Nigerian Legislative Council, Faber & Faber, p205
4. Wheare, pp205–206
5. Tamuno, p127