Nigerian general election, 1947

Nigeria
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Nigeria
Constitution Human rights President (list) Muhammadu Buhari Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Cabinet Federal Parastatals National Assembly Senate House of Representatives Supreme Court Subdivisions States State governors Local Government Areas Recent elections Presidential: 2011 2015 Parliamentary: 2011 2015 Political parties Foreign relations
Nigeria portal
Other countries Atlas

General elections were held in Nigeria on 21 October 1938. 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

By constituency

References

Elections in Nigeria
Presidential elections	1979 1983 1993 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015
House elections	1923 1928 1933 1938 1943 1947 1954 1959 1964 1979 1983 1992 1998 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015
Senate elections	1979 1983 1992 1998 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015
Regional elections	1951 1953 1954 1956−57 1960−61 1964 British Cameroons: 1959 1961
Local elections	1950 1953
Referendums	1959 1961