A by-election was held for the Lagos seat in the

Legislative Council of Nigeria A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers of government. Laws enacted by legislatures are usually known as ...

in 1940. It followed the death of incumbent

Olayinka Alakija Olayinka is a given name (diminutive of Yinka) and surname of Yoruba origin meaning "wealth surrounds me". It may refer to: ;First name * Olayinka Koso-Thomas (born 1937), Nigerian-born doctor established in Sierra Leone * Olayinka Sanni (born 19 ...

, who had been a member of the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM).Tekena N Tamuno (1966) ''Nigeria and Elective Representation 1923−1947'', Heinemann, p127

Jibril Martin Alhaji Jibril Martin (20 November 1888 - 13 June 1959) was a Nigerian lawyer and educationist who was a member of the Nigerian Legislative Council. He was also chairman of the Hajj Pilgrims’ Board of Nigeria’s Western region, following the ind ...

of the NYM was elected with 64% of the vote.

Campaign

Martin and

Samuel Akisanya Samuel Akisanya, (1 August 1898 – January 1985) was a Nigerian trade unionist and nationalist based in Lagos, Nigeria during the colonial era, one of the founders of the Nigerian Youth Movement. He was also the Oba of Isara, an office which ...

both sought the NYM nomination,

Nnamdi Azikiwe Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe, (16 November 1904 – 11 May 1996), usually referred to as "Zik", was a Nigerian statesman and political leader who served as the first President of Nigeria from 1963 to 1966. Considered a driving force behind the n ...

(1961) ''Zik: a selection from the speeches of Nnamdi Azikiwe'', CUP Archive, p309 with Martin chosen as the party's candidate. His opponent was Crispin Adeniyi-Jones, a doctor who had been a member of the Legislative Council from 1923 until losing his seat in the 1938 elections.

Results

References

{{Nigerian elections By-elections in Nigeria Lagos Lagos 20th century in Lagos