The People's Union was an association in Lagos, Nigeria created in 1908 to promote the welfare of the city's residents regardless of race or religion.
All residents would pay taxes to cover the costs, but the wealthy Europeans and Africans with piped houses would be the main beneficiaries.
The People's Union was revived to fight an election in 1923 and continued until 1928, but could not compete with the more populist Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP).
Under governor Walter Egerton a proposal for a system of piped water in Lagos was submitted to the Legislative Council in 1907, with the cost to be covered by direct taxation of the city's residents.
[2] John K. Randle and Orisadipe Obasa founded the People's Union at a mass meeting in Enu Owa in 1908 in reaction to the preferential treatment of Christians.
"[3] In 1911 its members toured Yorubaland to agitate against the proposal by Governor Frederick Lugard to declare all land to be the property of the government.
[10] In 1914 the Chief Imam (Lemomu) of Lagos supported the water rate, as did Alli Balogun, a wealthy Muslim who was associated with Randle.
[10] The People's Union wrote to the Secretary of State for the Colonies in 1915 asking that the piped water project be suspended during the war.
The educated elites in the Union changed their stance to allowing the project to continue, but with reduced water taxes.
[6] Although the People's Union favored gradual introduction of reforms while the NNDP was radical, both drew their membership from the Lagos elite.