Ethnic politics in Nigeria can be traced to the Richard's Constitution. The Richard's Constitution of 1946 was a colonial document that introduced regionalism in Nigeria, dividing the country into three regions: Northern, Eastern, and Western regions. This division was largely based on ethnic and religious differences, and it allowed ethnic groups to have more power in their own regions. This constitution set the foundation for ethnic politics in Nigeria as it gave rise to ethnic-based political parties and struggles for power among the regions.