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How Awolowo, Akintola Destroyed Action Group | By Idowu Ayodele
NIGERIA has witnessed a number of political crisis since independence, such as the Action Group crisis of 1962, the census crisis of 1962/63, the civil war of 1966-1970, the Federal election crisis of 1964/1965 amongst others.
In 1945, a group of Nigerian Students who were by the time studying in Britain came together to form a Yoruba socio- cultural group named ‘Egbe Omo Oduduwa’. However, in 1951, led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the party was formed and Christened ‘Action Group’, AG. Other members of the party were Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, Chief Sonibare, Sir Adesoji Aderemi and Chief Bode Thomas. It is believed that the Egbe Omo Oduduwa metamorphosed into the Action Group.
Chief Awolowo later became the Premier of the Western Region on the platform of the party until 1955 when he moved to the central to become the official opposition leader of the parliament. The main objectives of the Action Group Party, AG were among others to bring and organize within its fold, all nationalists in the Western Region, so that they may work together as a united party, and submit themselves to party loyalty and discipline. Also, to prepare and present to the public programs for all departments of government, and to strive faithfully to ensure the effectuation of such programs through those of its members that are elected into the Western House of Assembly and Federal Legislature.
The Action Group which was the party in government in the Western Region was plunged into serious crisis early in 1962 over a number of irreconcilable differences between the leader of the party, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his deputy, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola who by then was the Premier of the region after Awolowo had assumed the position of the leader of the opposition at the federal level. Unfortunately, in 1959, Awolowo failed in the federal election and his ambition to become the prime minister was frustrated . While he was still nursing this anger, the prime minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa requested him to form government of national unity which he turned down.
The reluctance of Chief Awolowo to support his deputy, Akintola as the Premier of Western Region when he was made the leader of opposition in the Federal House of Representatives in Lagos, also ignited the crisis as the newly appointed Premier, took independent decisions without consulting his leader who was then at the center as leader of opposition. Akintola and some others supported the move to join the ruling Northern People’s Congress, NPC, to form a government of national unity which did not go down well with Chief Awolowo.
Another circumstance that threatened the existence of the then Action Group, (AG) was the adoption of Democratic socialism as its ideology which was also not well received by the premier of western region, Akintola.
It is interesting to note that intra-party disagreement and mutual suspicious were the remote causes of this crisis. The intolerance within the rank and file of the leaders that later spread to other members of the party. The accusation and counter accusation of the leaders clearly revealed a deep seated hatred they had for each other.
In a related development, the Action Group’s leader, Awolowo had allegedly instructed the Premier of the Western Region, Akintola to refer important matters to him before any action was taken. This was considered to be an undue interference in the office of the Premier. Similarly, Awolowo had earlier suggested a nation-wide political campaign to create sufficient awareness for the electoral preparatory to the Federal Elections of 1964, but turned down by his deputy, Akintola who wanted the campaign to be restricted to Western Region alone. This increased the suspicion between the two leaders and Chief Awolowo believed that his deputy wanted to overthrow him as the leader of the party.
The ideological disparity between the two leaders could be likened to the event of Cold War when the United States of America led the West, and the East controlled by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic, this was indeed a great challenge which Awolowo and Akintola failed to resolve.
However, the crisis brew open at the party’s Annual National Congress held on 2nd February, 1962 in Jos, when the Premier of the Western Region, Akintola and a few of his ministers failed to attend. The party broke into two factions, Chief Akintola and others having charged with anti party activities was advised to resign which he refused to and was consequently sacked by the Governor of the Region, Oba Adesoji Aderemi and replaced by Alhaji Dauda Adegbenro as the new Premier. Chief Akintola did not stop there, he went to court to challenge his removal as the Premier of Western Region.
When the newly appointed Premier convened the meeting of the House of Assembly, fracas broke out and the mace, a symbol of authority was destroyed. Thereafter, the police was called to maintain order and lock up the House of Assembly. Violence ensued between the two factions (Awolowo and Akintola’s loyalists) and there was widespread killings and burning of houses. The federal government, for the first time in the history of the provisions of the constitution invoked the emergency powers and declared a state of emergency in the Western Region. By the time the state of emergency was lifted after six months, Chief Awolowo, other Action Group leaders and their aides were jailed for treason.
After the collapse of Action Group, AG, Chief Akintola later formed the Nigerian National Democratic Party, NNDP. It should be noted that the crisis weakened the power of the opposition in the House of Representatives and made mockery of the parliamentary system of government. This portends that our political leaders cannot tolerate the opposing views of their colleagues. This crisis led to series of events and subsequently in the country before the military took over in 1966.
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday held a high-level strategic meeting with the Oyo State chapter of the party as part of efforts to reposition the APC for victory and prevent internal crisis ahead of the polls.
The development was first scooped by OYOINSIGHT.COM which quoted multiple party sources familiar with the closed-door deliberations.
Sources disclosed that the meeting, held in Abuja, focused largely on a consensus arrangement being considered by stakeholders of the party in Oyo State, in line with political templates reportedly being adopted in Lagos and Ogun states ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Party insiders said the move was aimed at strengthening unity within the fold of the opposition party in the state, minimising rancour during the primaries and presenting a formidable front against rival parties in 2027.
It was further gathered that some members of the state executive committee may have been subtly informed about preferred consensus candidates being considered for elective positions across the state.
Though details of the deliberations were still sketchy as of press time, sources hinted that the national leadership stressed the need for cohesion, discipline and strategic alignment among stakeholders to improve the party’s electoral fortunes in Oyo.
Those at the meeting included the Oyo APC Chairman, Moses Alake Adeyemo; the state secretary, Fatai Adesina Adeniyi; the Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare; the Organising Secretary, Aderemi Adepoju; and the Legal Adviser, Sunday Aborisade.
Others were the Women Leader, Adekemi Opatunde; the Youth Leader, Olalekan Oladejo; Joshua Oyebamiji; Tunde Oloyede; Sunday Babalola; Joseph Omoniyi; and Mojeed Adebayo.
As of the time of filing this report, the party had yet to issue an official statement on the outcome of the meeting.
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, on Monday assured aspirants and party members that the party would conduct transparent, peaceful and credible direct primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Adeyemo declared that no aspirant would be victimised or denied a level playing field, stressing that the party leadership remained committed to internal democracy and progressive ideals.
The former deputy governor spoke while receiving members of the APC Screening and Appeal Committees deployed from the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja at the APC Secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan.
He disclosed that although the party initially explored consensus arrangements across elective positions, prevailing realities indicated that direct primaries would be conducted in some areas, including the governorship contest.
Adeyemo said the party had already put necessary structures in place to ensure a hitch-free exercise capable of strengthening unity within the APC.
He said: “We set machineries in motion for us to achieve the aim of consensus across board but reports available to me indicate that we would have to go by the second option which is direct primary in certain cases including the governorship ticket.
“To this end, we shall work towards organising free, fair and credible exercise in all the affected areas even as we cannot rule out the possibility of some aspirants having a rethink and supporting the consensus arrangement as necessary.
“Where we have more than an aspirant, Abuja would send people to conduct primaries and we at the state level would provide the required support to make everything work out in the interest of our great party.”
The APC chairman explained that all registered party members would participate fully in the exercise at their respective wards on dates to be announced by the National Secretariat.
According to him, affirmation would be adopted in areas where consensus candidates emerge, while voting would be conducted wherever direct primaries become necessary.
“For consensus, members will lend their voices for affirmation while voting will be done in the cases of direct primary,” he added.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Screening Committee and former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Taofiq AbdusSalam, assured party faithful that the committee would carry out a thorough, transparent and unbiased screening process.
He said only eligible aspirants would be cleared to participate in the primaries and eventually fly the APC flag in the forthcoming elections.
Other members of the Screening Committee are Kamal Sanusi (Secretary), Smart Oluwole, Tunde Kolade and Olabamiji Agunloye.
Members of the Screening Appeal Committee are Jibola Oduwole (Chairman), Abimbola Jack (Secretary) and Jelil Jimoh.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress on Saturday zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria, declaring that the party’s candidate would serve a single four-year term if elected.
The decision was reached during the party’s national convention held in Abuja amid growing momentum within the opposition platform following a wave of high-profile defections from other political parties.
Announcing the development on its official social media handle, the party stated, “NDC presidential ticket is zoned to the South!!”
The party also resolved that its 2031 presidential ticket would be ceded to Northern Nigeria as part of efforts to maintain regional balance and internal equity.
The convention comes as key opposition figures, including former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former New Nigeria People’s Party presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, joined party leaders and delegates at the Abuja gathering.
Saturday’s convention is expected to ratify several recent decisions taken by the party’s National Executive Committee, including zoning arrangements, amendments to the party constitution, and the election of new national executives.
According to the convention agenda obtained by journalists, discussions centred on zoning, ratification of the amended constitution, and leadership restructuring ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The NDC has in recent weeks witnessed a surge in defections from rival opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
On Tuesday, no fewer than 17 members of the House of Representatives defected from the ADC to the NDC.
Their defections were formally announced during plenary at the House of Representatives.
The lawmakers include Yusuf Datti, Uchenna Okonkwo, Adamu Wakili, Thaddeus Attah, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, Peter Aniekwe, Mukhtar Zakari, George Oluwande and Munachim Umezuruike.
Others are Emeka Idu, Jesse Onuakalusi, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, Afam Ogene, Murphy Omoruyi and Abdulhakeem Ado.
The defections came barely two days after Obi and Kwankwaso formally joined the NDC from the ADC.
The duo were presented with the party’s membership cards last Sunday shortly after a closed-door meeting with party leaders.
A former Governor of Bayelsa State and NDC national leader, Seriake Dickson, officially welcomed the opposition figures into the party.
Obi had attributed his exit from the ADC to worsening internal crises, external interference and what he described as increasing hostility within party structures.
The former Anambra State governor said Nigeria’s political environment had become increasingly toxic, marked by intimidation, insecurity and sustained scrutiny of opposition figures.
He also lamented that institutions meant to protect citizens were now often deployed against them, while individuals committed to genuine public service faced mounting pressure both publicly and privately.
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