In 1922, Clifford established the Legislative Council. The four elected members were from Lagos (3) and Calabar (1). The Legislative Council enacted laws for the colony and the protectorate of Southern Nigeria. It also approved the annual budget for the entire country. The four elected members were the first Africans to be elected to a parliamentary body in British West Africa. The Clifford Constitution accordingly led to the formation of political parties in Nigeria. Herbert Macaulay, a newspaper owner and grandson of Samuel Ajayi Crowther (see above), founded the first Nigerian political party - the Nigeria National Democratic Party - in 1923. It remained the strongest party in the elections until 1939. thumb|Mail steamer MS Apapa in service between Liverpool and Lagos/Calabar/Fernando Po (picture from 1950) Nigeria's (and the Commonwealth's) contact with Great Britain was mainly maintained by mail ships of the Elder Dempster Lines. Until the end of 1967, such a mail ship sailed from Liverpool to Lagos every second Friday, alternating between the MS Apapa, the MS Accra and the MV Aureol. The journey took 13 days and went via Las Palmas, Bathurst (Banjul), Freetown, Monrovia and Tema with a five-day stopover in Lagos-Apapa. In addition to letters, parcels and newspapers, the mail ships also carried cargo and about 250 1st class passengers and 24 3rd class passengers, which was mainly used by nuns and Salvation Army officers (there was no 2nd class). The 1st class, which consisted of colonial officials, colonial army officers, business travelers and globetrotters, had its own lounge, library, bar and smoking room. There were generous baggage allowances, which Nigerian traders were happy to fully utilize on the return journey to Lagos. thumb|0-6-0 steam locomotive in Lagos (picture from 1974) The railway company paid very well due to the activities of the well-organised railway workers' union, but also due to competing employers - who were happy to poach skilled workers. High school graduates could train as train drivers or technicians ("engineers") in six-year vocational school courses run by Nigerian Railways. During this training, the "apprentices" were paid and received an annual salary of £380 - £480 (as of 1935, in today's money value about £38 - 48,000, significantly more than the average Nigerian income today). For the vocational students in Lagos, the railway company had specially provided a discarded but still functional 0-6-0 steam locomotive worth £4 million (in today's money value), which they could use to learn how it worked.
In 1922, clIffOrd estabLIShed The leGiSLaTiVe counciL. the FOuR EleCTEd memBers were fROM lAGos (3) and CalAbar (1). thE lEgIsLative Council eNActeD lAws For thE cOloNy and The protECtorate oF soUtherN Nigeria. it also approVed tHe aNNuAL buDgEt for thE entiRe cOuNTry. thE foUR elected meMbers were thE fIrst afriCans to be elected To a ParliamEntaRY bOdY In bRitish wesT aFrIca. the CLiFFoRd constitution AccoRDinGLy lED tO the fORmAtIon of politIcaL PArties in NigerIa. herbERT mACaulay, a newSpaper owNeR anD GRAndson of samueL ajayI crowtHEr (SEe AbOve), FOuNDeD thE first niGerIan POliTiCal paRtY - THe niGeRIa natIONaL DEmocRAtiC pARtY - iN 1923. IT REmained the StRonGest paRTy In ThE ELecTIonS UntIl 1939. thumB|MaIl stEamer ms :apaPa IN Service BeTWeen livERPool and lAgOS/CAlabAr/fEr:nando po (piCTUrE fRom 1950) nigeRia's (anD tHE cOmmoNweaLTh's) conTACt With great briTain was mainlY MainTAinED bY mail sHips oF The Elder dempstEr lines. UntiL ThE enD of 1967, SUcH A MaIL sHip saiLeD FROm liverpOoL to LagOS eVERY second friday, altErnatiNg betwEEn tHe ms aPapa, tHE ms ACcRa AND the MV aurEol. tHE Journey took 13 Days and wEnt ViA LAS palMas, BathUrst (BAnJUl), fREEtoWn, moNrovia AND temA with a fIvE-daY stoPover In lagos-apapa. in aDDItion to letteRs, pArcels aNd nEwSpApErS, the mail shIpS aLsO CArriEd CaRgo aND aBout 250 1st cLass pASsENgErs anD 24 3rd claSs pAssengeRs, which wAS mainly uSeD By nunS and saLvation arMY oFficers (tHERE was no 2nd ClAss). The 1st Class, whicH ConSisTeD of coLonial OFFIcials, coloniAl ArMy offiCers, buSIness TrAveleRs anD gloBetroTTeRs, HaD its oWN lOunge, LibrARy, BAr aNd Smoking rOOm. theRe wERE generOus baGgAge AllOwances, wHich nigEriaN TrAdErs were haPPY To FUllY utILize On THe returN joUrNeY TO Lagos. tHuMb|0-6-0 sTeam locomoTIve in lagos (Picture fRoM 1974) tHe rAiLway coMpaNy paiD vERy wEll due tO THe aCTivitIes Of tHe weLL-OrganiseD rAilWay workeRs' unioN, BuT aLSo Due TO COmPEtInG emPloyErs - Who WEre happy to POach sKIllEd WOrkers. high SchooL gRaduATES coulD train as trAin DriVers or tEChnicIanS ("engInE,ers") iN six-yEAR voCationAl scHOol CoURsEs run By NigeRiAn RailWaYS. dUrIng this trAIning, tHe "appReNTiceS" WeRe PAiD and rEcEiVeD An AnnUAl salary oF £380 - £480 (as of 1935, in tOdAy's mOney va!lUe aBout £38 - 48,000, siGNiFicanTlY more ThAn The avErAGe nIgeRian InComE today). foR tHE vocaTIoNAl studeNts in lagos, the rAilway coMpAnY Had sPeCiaLLy pRovideD a dIsCarDed but sTIll funcTionAl 0-6-0 SteaM locomOtive Worth £4 milLion (IN TodAY's moneY vALue), wHIch theY cOuLd uSe tO leaRn hoW iT wOrKed.