The Nigerian Political Bureau of 1986

The Nigerian political bureau of 1986, established by President Babangida shortly after his successful coup, was one of the broadest political consultation exercise conducted in Nigerian history. The bureau was headed by Sylvanus Cookey, and contained 17 members charged with the responsibility of investigating the problems of the failed Nigerian political and democratic institutions, collating the socio-political views of Nigerians and submitting remedies to curtail the perceived shortcomings of the political and economic process. [Stephen Wright; Nigeria: Struggle for Stability and Status, Westview Press, 1998, pp 83-85.] Before the establishment of the bureau, Nigeria had undergone two major democratic experiments replete with institutional failures. However, this did not quench the demand for a return to democracy, after what was perceived as a relapse to authoritarian tendencies during the administration of general Buhari.

During the bureau's tenure, it received over 27,000 submissions from Nigerians all over the country, on issues ranging from Religion, to ethnicity and ideology. At the end the bureau 's tenure, it recommended to the government a few suggestions which it hoped will be of use to solving the historical problems of democracy in Nigeria.

However, the political bureau was seen by some critics as an endeavor to legitimize the military's incursion to power by basing some of its existence to a return to democratic rules such as open debates and finalizing a return to democracy. In 1987, Newswatch magazine released an unofficial report of the bureau, for its reward, it was proscribed for a few months [CAMERON DUODU, "Silence is tarnished - The continuing repression faced by Nigeria's Newswatch," The Guardian (London)April 20, 1987] lending credence to some of the criticism of the regime, as taking Nigerian on a farcical democratic experiment.

Bureau's suggestions

*Adoption of a two party system based on certain conditions
*Rejection of the zoning principle
*Leaving traditional rulers out of the political equation
*Democratization of socio-economic power through political and economic participation in all structures and organisations of power, leading to a socialist state
*Economic structure should be predicated on self reliance, social justice
*A unicameral legislature
*Setting aside 10% of elected seats for women and labor leaders
*Mass mobilization as the cornerstone of a new found political orientation
*The Creation of six more states. [Tom Forrest; Politics and Economic Development in Nigeria. Westview Press, 1995, pp 119-124.]

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