Saturday, 12 December 1959 was a great watershed in the history of the Action Group when the party lost a very important federal election its leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, had anticipated to win. This election was significant in because Nigerian politicians and significant parties were awarded that the party that won the majority of parliamentary seats in the Federal House of Representatives was going to be the recipient of sovereign power when the British Colonial Administration transferred it on 1 October 1960. Also, the election was to determine the balance of power between the major political parties in the Federation since it preceded the grant of political independence to the country.

http://eandelmagazine.com/2020/08/28/unknown-facts-about-obafemi-awolowo-and-the-western-region-crisis/