Nigeria is a Federal Republic modelled after the United States, with executive power exercised by the president and with influences from the Westminster System model in the composition and management of the upper and lower houses of the bicameral legislature. However, the President of Nigeria is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Nigerian politics takes place within a framework of a federal, presidential, representative democratic republic, whereby Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the legislature, the House of Representatives and the Senate. Together the two chambers make up the law-making body in Nigeria called the National Assembly. The highest judiciary arm of government in Nigeria is the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Nigeria also practices Baron de Montesquieu's theory of the separation of powers. The National Assembly serves as a check on the executive arm of government.
Legal system
The law of Nigeria is based on the rule of law and the independence of the Judiciary, and also on the British common law system—because of the long history of British colonial influence. The legal system is therefore similar to the common law systems used in England and Wales and in other Commonwealth countries. The constitutional framework for the legal system is provided by the Constitution of Nigeria.
There are however, four distinct systems of law in Nigeria:
Like the United States, there is a Judicial branch with a Supreme Court which is regarded as the highest court of the land.
Executive branch
The president is elected by universal suffrage. He is both the chief of state and head of government and heads the Federal Executive Council, or cabinet.
The executive branch is divided into Federal Ministries, headed by a minister appointed by the President, who must include at least one member of each of the 36 states in his cabinet. The President's appointments are confirmed by the Senate of Nigeria. In some cases a Federal minister is responsible for more than one ministry (e.g. Environment and Housing may be combined), and a minister may be assisted by one or more ministers of State. Each ministry also has a Permanent Secretary, who is a senior civil servant.
The ministries are responsible for various parastatals (government-owned corporations) such as universities (Education), National Broadcasting Commission (Information) and Nigerian National Petroleum Corp (Petroleum). Other parastatals are the responsibility of the Office of the Presidency, such as the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Federal Civil Service Commission.
Legislative branch
The National Assembly of Nigeria has two chambers. The House of Representatives is presided over by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. It has 360 members, elected for a four year term in single-seat constituencies. The Senate is presided upon by the President of the Senate. It has 109 members, elected for a four year term in 36 three-seat constituencies (corresponding to the country's 36 states) and one seat in a single-seat constituency (the federal capital, Abuja).
Judicial Branch
The judicial branch consists mainly of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which is the highest court in the land. It is presided upon by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and thirteen associate justices, appointed by the President of Nigeria on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council and subject to confirmation by the Senate.
Political parties and elections
Summary of the 1 April 2007 Nigerian presidential election results | Candidates – Parties | Parties | Votes | % |
| Umaru Yar'Adua | Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) | 24,638,063 | 69.82 |
|
| Muhammadu Buhari | All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) | 6,605,299 | 18.72 |
| Atiku Abubakar | Action Congress (AC) | 2,637,848 | 7.47 |
| Orji Uzor Kalu | Progressive Peoples Alliance | 608,803 | 1.73 |
| Attahiru Bafarawa | Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) | 289,324 | 0.82 |
| Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu | All Progressives Grand Alliance | 155,947 | 0.44 |
| Alliance for Democracy (AD) | 89,241 | 0.25 |
| Chris Okotie | Fresh Democratic Party | 74,049 | 0.21 |
| Patrick Utomi | 50,849 | 0.14 |
| 28,519 | 0.08 |
| 22,677 | 0.06 |
| 22,409 | 0.06 |
| National Democratic Party | 21,934 | 0.06 |
| 14,027 | 0.04 |
| Bartholomew Nnaji | 11,705 | 0.03 |
| 8,229 | 0.02 |
| 5,752 | 0.02 |
| 4,309 | 0.01 |
Administrative divisions
The federation is divided in 36 states and 1 territory*; Federal Capital Territory (Abuja)*, Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara
Each state is further divided into Local Government Areas (LGAs). There are 774 LGAs in Nigeria. For each state they are listed in the article for that state. Kano State has the largest number of LGAs at 44, and Bayelsa State has the fewest at 9. The Federal Capital Territory of Abuja has 6 LGAs. The Local Government Areas replaced the Districts that were the third tier administrative unit under the British government.
Military
The military of Nigeria has played a major role in the country's history, often seizing control of the country and ruling it through major periods of its history. Its last period of rule ended in 1999 following the death of the leader of the previous military junta Sani Abacha in 1998.
Active duty personnel in the three Nigerian armed services is total approximately 76,000. The Nigerian Army, the largest of the services, has about 60,000 personnel deployed in two mechanized infantry divisions, one composite division (airborne and amphibious), the Lagos Garrison Command (a division size unit), and the Abuja-based Brigade of Guards. It has demonstrated its capability to mobilize, deploy, and sustain battalions in support of peacekeeping operations in Liberia, former Yugoslavia, Angola, Rwanda, Somalia, and Sierra Leone. The Nigerian Navy (7,000) is equipped with frigates, fast attack craft, convettes, and coastal patrol boats. The Nigerian Air Force (9,000) flies transport, trainer, helicopter, and fighter aircraft, but most are currently not operational. Nigeria also has pursued a policy of developing domestic training and military production capabilities. Nigeria has continued a strict policy of diversification in its military procurement from various countries. After the imposition of sanctions by many Western nations, Nigeria turned to the People's Republic of China, Russia, North Korea, and India for the purchase of military equipment and training.
Foreign relations
Nigeria is currently in better foreign relations due to its current state of democracy though a fledging one and with the help of the former president Obasanjo. It is a member of the African Union and sits on that organization's Peace and Security Council. Since 1960 Nigeria has been a member of the UN and also joined the Commonwealth of Nations the same year, however they were briefly suspended between 1995 and 1999. Nigeria is member of ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, AU ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, EFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
See also
References
Retrieved from :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Nigeria
