358. Memorandum From Samuel E. Belk of National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)1
SUBJECT
- The Situation in Nigeria
Both the Department and the acting Nigerian Ambassador (who is a personal friend) insist that press reports out of Nigeria (especially Garrison of the Times) picture the situation as being far worse than it actually is. That the country is passing through a serious political crisis, no one can deny. There have been irregularities in preparation for the elections being held today. The three southern regions (Western, Mid-Western and Eastern), which politically are represented by the UPGA, contend that the vast Moslem Northern region is returning, unopposed, 68 members of the Legislature, and that this is both unlawful and undemocratic. President Azikiwe (Eastern) has held that, in view of these irregularities, the elections should be postponed for a month; Prime Minister Balewa (Northern) insisted successfully in an all-day bargaining session yesterday that the elections should be held today.
Very complicated African politics, in which tribes, religion and economics all play a part, are involved in the situation. The Northern Premier is at odds with the Eastern Premier in whose region large oil deposits have been discovered. In the heat of the election campaign, there have been threats of secession by the East; threats of violence “that would make the Congo look like child’s play” from the North; etc., etc. No one believes these threats actually will be carried out. What we are in for is a period of hard political bargaining which, when they emerge from it, should make the Nigerians more aware of the nature of the internal forces of the country than they now are.
As of noon today, the UPGA (the three southern regions) were boycotting the elections and some trade unions controlled by the UPGA had gone on strike. But, according to the Acting Ambassador, who talked to Lagos at seven this morning, much bargaining is going on in the background. He is as much worried about press reports here as he is the situation in his own country.
- Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Nigeria, Vol. I, Memos & Miscellaneous, 6/64–8/67. Official Use Only.↩