▁its ▁first ▁elected ▁legisl ature . ▁This ▁was ▁followed ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁with ▁general ▁legisl ative ▁elections ▁with ▁universal ▁adult ▁suff rage ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁Bas oth o ▁National ▁Party ▁( B NP ) ▁won ▁ 3 1 ▁and ▁the ▁Bas ut ol and ▁Congress ▁Party ▁( BC P ) ▁won ▁ 2 5 ▁of ▁the ▁ 6 5 ▁seats ▁cont ested . ▁ ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Les oth o ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Les oth o ▁att ained ▁full ▁independence , ▁govern ed ▁by ▁a ▁constitution al ▁mon archy ▁with ▁a ▁b ic amer al ▁Parliament ▁consisting ▁of ▁a ▁Senate ▁and ▁an ▁elected ▁National ▁Assembly . ▁Early ▁results ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁post - in dep end ence ▁elections ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁indicated ▁that ▁the ▁Bas oth o ▁National ▁Party ▁( B NP ) ▁might ▁lose ▁control . ▁Under ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Chief ▁Le ab ua ▁Jonathan , ▁the ▁r uling ▁B NP ▁refused ▁to ▁c ede ▁power ▁to ▁the ▁rival ▁Bas oth ol and ▁Congress ▁Party ▁( BC P ), ▁although ▁the ▁B CP ▁was ▁widely ▁believed ▁to ▁have ▁won ▁the ▁elections . ▁C iting ▁election ▁irregular ities , ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Le ab ua ▁Jonathan ▁null ified ▁the ▁elections , ▁declared ▁a ▁national ▁state ▁of ▁emer gency , ▁susp ended ▁the ▁constitution , ▁and ▁dissol ved ▁the ▁Parliament . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁an ▁appointed ▁Inter im ▁National ▁Assembly