1. Nigerian Governmental Structure

2. Electorate Nigerians have voted in national elections since 1959
Since then many elections have been cancelled, postponed, or fraudulent
The annulment of the 1993 election led to reduced political participation
Nigerians voted in large numbers in 1999 and 2003
Close to 2/3 of eligible voters voted in 2003
Elections in Nigeria are still very corrupt and unreliable

3. Executive
Parliamentary system replaced with a presidential system during the 2nd Republic
Model adopted in 1979
When Obasanjo became the first elected president since 1983 he inherited an extremely strong executive branch
Executive was bolstered as a result of the many years of a military head of state

4. Unique to Nigeria
If a presidential candidate does not receive an outright majority a second ballot election can take place
Has not happened yet
A president must receive at least 25% of all votes cast in 2/3 of the states
A purely regional candidate cannot become president
Why?

5. Legislature
In 1960 Nigerian legislature operated along the lines of the Westminster model
Elected lower house with an upper house appointed by the executive (PM)
– adopted a U.S. model
Bicameral (National Assembly) – Senate and House of Representatives

6. Senate Election based on equal state representation
3 senators from each state, one from the federal district of Abuja
109 total senators
4 Senators were women in 2003
Elections every four years – renewable terms

7. House of Representatives
Elections based on state representation
360 members from single member districts
Weighted to reflect the size of the population of each state (same as U.S.)
23 Representatives were women in 2003

8. Unique to Nigeria Legislation is a mixed bag of ethnicities
Recently began to serve as an effective check on the Executive
Shot down Obasanjo’s plan to alter the Constitution so he could run for a 3rd term in 2007
Past legislatures have had limited power

9. Judiciary
Early Years of Independence courts had a great deal of autonomy
Combined common law, traditional law, and sharia
Years of military rule ravaged the courts
Suspended judicial review
Cronies appointed as judges
Military tribunals
Result = presently judges not well versed in law and make decisions that are manipulated by the government

10. Judiciary Based on the British model
Courts are charged with interpreting laws in accordance with the Constitution
Judicial Review exists in theory
1999 Constitution established a Supreme Court, a Federal Court of Appeals, and a single unified court system at the national and state levels
Courts exist at federal and state levels and the Supreme Court is the highest court in the land

11. Unique to Nigeria
Sharia courts exist side by side with the courts based on the British model
Islamic courts function in 12 predominantly Muslim states