1. Political Institutions
Nigeria
Political Institutions

2. Presentation Outline II. Political Institutions a) Executive Branch
b) Legislative Branch
c) Judicial Branch
d) The Military
e) The Party System
f) The Electoral System

3. Nigeria’s government structure
Appoints
Confirms
Elects

4. II. a) The Executive Branch
The President
The Cabinet
The Nigerian Civil Service

5. The Nigerian President Head of State and Head of Government
Directly elected by citizens
Limited to two 4 year terms
Must receive national and regional support to be elected
Appoints Supreme Court Judges
Appoints Cabinet
Can veto legislation
Commander-in-chief of the armed forces
Current President Goodluck Jonathan
He is a Christian from the South

6. Nigerian Presidents since 1985
Military Dictatorship
Democratic Republic
Ibrahim
Babangida
Ernest Shonekan
Sani Abacha
Abdulsalami
Abubakar
Olusegun Obsanjo
Umaru
Yar’ Adua
Goodluck
Jonathan
present

7. The Cabinet There are currently 19 Ministries or Departments
By convention the President appoints one Cabinet Minister from each of Nigeria’s 36 states; since there are more states than Ministries, many Ministries have two Cabinet Ministers
Below: Goodluck Jonathan with his newly appointed (2011) Cabinet
How many women are in his Cabinet?

8. The Nigerian Civil Service
Modeled after the British Civil Service and established during colonial rule
Like the British Civil Service, the Nigerian Civil Service is composed of a career bureaucrats who craft policy and consult with Cabinet Ministers
The top civil servants are known as permanent secretaries
Nigeria’s Civil Service, however, is generally characterized as inefficient and corrupt
Uses a quota system to ensure balanced representation from Nigeria’s many ethnic groups

9. II. b) The Legislative Branch
Like all federal systems, Nigeria has a bicameral legislature
The House of Representatives is based on representation by population
The Senate is based on regional representation

10. The House of Representatives
Directly elected to 4 year terms
Based on representation by population
Amends and make laws
Debates issues
Can impeach the president
Can overturn a veto with a supermajority vote (66%+)
360 seats

11. Ethnic , religious, and regional tensions occasionally disrupt the civility of the House of Representatives as evidenced by a recent brawl (2010)

12. The Senate Directly elected to 4 year terms
Based on regional representation
Debates issues
Amends and creates laws
Can impeach the president
Can overturn a presidential veto with a supermajority vote (66%+)
Confirms President’s Supreme Court appointments
109 seats

13. II. c) The Judicial Branch
Nigeria’s legal system is comprised of three systems:
1) Traditional courts
2) British Law
3) Islamic Sharia Law
There is also Supreme Court with the power of judicial review

14. Traditional courts
Customary courts were established under British colonial rule to encourage local ethnic groups to resolve minor conflicts peacefully and based on their local customs.
These courts continue to operate in Nigeria but their jurisdiction is generally limited to minor civil disputes
Below: a traditional Igbo court in Southeastern Nigeria circa 1900

15. British Law
Nigeria’s criminal code and civil law are based on British legal traditions
For all civil law cases in the South, Nigeria uses British common law
Criminal and civil trials use the adversarial system where defense lawyers and prosecutors argue their cases
Criminal law is also based on the presumption of innocence
Below: senior Nigerian lawyers wearing traditional English wigs

16. Sharia Law
Islamic law is used in civil and criminal cases in Nigeria’s northern states
Non-Muslims living in northern states do have the right to be tried using British Law
The introduction of sharia law was seen as a concession to Nigeria’s northern Muslims to strengthen Nigerian federalism

17. The Nigerian Supreme Court
Established in 1999
Composed of approximately 21 judges, who are appointed by the president
Highest Nigerian court
Has the authority to interpret the constitution and provide judicial review
Independent of the executive and legislative branches

18. Judicial review
Recently, supreme court judges have begun to exercise their judicial review by challenging the ruling People’s Democratic Party(PDP)
Two recent rulings support the Supreme Court’s claim to providing effective judicial review:
2007- ruled that PDP President Obasanjo could not seek a third term
2012- upheld INEC appeal that 5 state governors had refused to step down from office; the court ordered that these 5 governors be sacked
Source:

19. II. d) The Military
Why do you think Nigeria’s president insisted on a public motorcade standing next two Nigeria’s top generals?
Nigeria has one of the largest military forces in Africa and possesses a modern arsenal
Unlike other case study countries we studied this year, the military dominated Nigerian politics for most of the 20th century
From independence until 1999 there were 10 military coup d’etats
Below: President Goodluck Jonathan riding with top generals

20. Until 1999 the military assumed the role of the executive branch; every president until 2007 had a military background, the military controlled Nigeria’s oil wealth and controlled patronage
The strong presence of the military in politics is a feature of many African states
Since the 1999 Constitution the military has accepted its subordinate position and the primacy of civilian rule

21. II. e) The Party System
Nigeria’s party system is much more developed than Iran’s, since there are actual political parties with defined ideologies
Nigeria is considered a multi-party system but since 1999 only one party, the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) has dominated politics. Does this describe another country’s party system we studied this year?

22. Nigeria’s parties on the political spectrum
The party system in Nigeria is still in its infancy
Party popularity is still largely determined by the popularity of powerful personalities- this is very much rooted in Nigeria’s authoritarian political culture
People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)
All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP)
Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)
Left Centre Right

23. Strong supporter of social welfare
Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)
Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)
All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP)
People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
Left of Centre
Strong supporter of social welfare
Favours more devolution of powers to the states
Strong support base in the North
Progressive Party
Supports economic liberalization but also emphasizes social welfare
Popular in the South
Right-wing
Strong supporter of sharia law for the North
Centre-right party
Champion of economic liberalization
Ruling party since 1999
Very strong support base in the South

24. The PDP
PDP position is in Nigerian politics is still dominant. However, in the 2011 election it lost its majority in the House of Representatives for the first time since Is this the beginning of a competitive party system?

25. Despite losing its majority in the House of Representatives, the PDP still has an overwhelming majority in the Senate and every president since 1999 has come from the PDP

26. II. f) The Electoral System
Nigeria has three direct and regular elections for the President, Senate, and House of Representatives
The House of Representatives and Senate use the SMD system. A simple plurality is needed to win a seat.
To be elected president a candidate requires both regional and national support, at least 25% in 2/3 of Nigeria’s 36 states as well as an absolute majority (50%+ overall)
A second round, run-off vote is required if no candidate can meet the above criteria in the first round; since 1999 no second round has been needed

27. Given what you know about Nigeria’s system of federalism why do you think the Constitution called for the president to have at least 25% support in 2/3 of Nigeria’s 36 states?
Judging by the results of the 2011 presidential election is this electoral rule having the intended effect?

28. INEC- Nigeria’s Independent Electoral Commission
Nigeria’ s elections have been repeatedly criticized by the international community as fraudulent, and neither free nor fair
Nonetheless, unlike authoritarian Iran or China, Nigeria does have an independent electoral commission which monitors and supervises elections, tabulates results, and ensures that the elections are free and fair
For further inquiry into INEC visit the website:

29. Discussion Questions
1) Compare and contrast Nigeria’s party system with Mexico’s and Russia’s. 2) Explain why the Nigerian president is much more powerful than the Iranian president. 3) Does Nigeria’s government structure promote or hinder national unity? 4) Does Nigeria have the rule of law? Are there encouraging signs? How does it compare with Mexico and Russia?