The Kano Peoples Party was a Nigerian political party in the first republic. Formed in 1963, it soon became the second largest opposition party in

Northern Nigeria Northern Nigeria (or Arewa, Arewancin Nijeriya) was an autonomous division within Nigeria, distinctly different from the southern part of the country, with independent customs, foreign relations and security structures. In 1962, it acquired t ...

overtaking the

United Middle Belt Congress United Middle Belt Congress (UMBC) was a List of political parties in Nigeria, political party in Nigeria during First Nigerian Republic, the nation's First Republic. The Party was a fusion of two major Middle Belt organizations, viz. the Middle ...

. In 1966, the Party was proscribed along with other political parties by the military.

History

In 1963, an internal crisis within the government of

led to the Abdication of the

Emir of Kano The Kano Emirate was a Muslim state in northern Nigeria formed in 1805 during the Fulani jihad when the Muslim Hausa-led Sultanate of Kano was deposed and replaced by a new emirate which became a vassal state of the Sokoto Caliphate. During an ...

, Sir

Muhammadu Sanusi Alhaji Sir Muhammadu Sanusi I KBE () was the Acting Governor of Northern Nigeria (1957) and Emir of Kano from 1954 to 1963. He was the eldest son of Emir Abdullahi Bayero. He was a powerful Emir that had substantial influence in the colonial Nor ...

. This spurred a wave of Nationalist protest from young Kanoans who perceived the Governments actions as having infringed on the province's autonomy. In 1963, these protests turned into open political rebellion with Tijjaniyya Sufi's led by Abubakar Uba proclaiming the KPP and calling for complete Kanoan independence from Kaduna. Kano being the largest province in the region quickly gave the KPP a formidable foothold in Regional politics and sparked a wave of reprisal attacks from the NPC dominated Provincial Native Authority Before the 1964 election, all but a few members of the Party's National Committee had been imprisoned or were facing trial; this forced the party into an alliance with other Regional opposition parties in the Northern Progressive Front.

Proscription

By 1965, the KPP had withdrawn from the Northern Progressive Front and had decided to strictly pursue Kanoan independence, however on 15 January 1966, while preparations for the 1968 general elections were going on, Nigeria's First Republic was overthrown and all political parties in the country including the KPP were proscribed.

Legacy

In 1967, Kanoan Nationalism scored a reticent victory when The Kano Province was officially granted marginal autonomy as a state separate from the rest of Northern Nigeria and in 1982, the government of Kano under Abubakar Rimi and the

People's Redemption Party The People's Redemption Party is a social democratic political party in Nigeria. The Second Republic reincarnation of the Northern Elements Progressive Union and the Fourth Republican reincarnation of a similar namesake, the party was cre ...

ended the long Exile of Sir Sanusi.

References

{{Nigerian political parties 1963 establishments in Nigeria 1966 disestablishments in Nigeria Defunct political parties in Nigeria Liberal parties in Nigeria Political parties disestablished in 1963 Political parties established in 1963 Politics of Northern Nigeria Political parties of minorities in Nigeria