Nigerian Government and Politics Overview

Nigerian Government and Politics

• Transition from Authoritarian to Democratic: Nigeria transitioned from an authoritarian regime to a democratic one with a written constitution and regular elections.
• Federal System: A federal system divides power between the central government and state governments.
• Presidential System: Nigeria has a presidential system where a president is directly elected by popular vote and holds the head of state, head of government, and chief executive roles.
• Presidential Election Process: Candidates must achieve a majority (50%) of the national vote. If not, a runoff election occurs in which candidates need 25% of the national vote in two-thirds of the states. Elections are held every four years.
• Bicameral Legislature: Nigeria has a bicameral legislature consisting of a House of Representatives (lower house, elected via plurality) and a Senate (upper house, elected via plurality).
• Legal System: The country uses a common law system with judicial review powers. Sharia law is applied in 12 northern states.
• Multi-Party System: Operates within a multi-party system.
• Patron-Clientelism (Prebendalism): A system of political exchange where favors are exchanged for personal gain in jobs.
• Social Movements: Groups like the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) have emerged to address regional concerns.

Ethnic and Religious Divisions

• Ethnic Cleavages: Nigeria faces significant ethnic divisions.
• Religious Cleavages: North-South religious division exists with the north largely Muslim and the south largely Christian.
• Regional Cleavages: These existing fault lines include regional and economic divides arising from the uneven wealth distribution, with the oil-rich south frequently benefiting more compared to other parts of the country.

Economic Factors

• Rentier State: Nigeria relies heavily on oil exports for revenue.
• Resource Curse: Nigeria's focus on oil exports may have hindered the development of other sectors.
• Oil Wealth: While oil generates wealth, it also has potential negative consequences, such as an overly bloated public bureaucracy and corruption.
• State Corporatism and Para-Statals: Para-statals, privately owned but headed by government appointees, often contribute to the state's control rather than true public/private cooperation.

Foreign Policy

• Supranational Organizations: Nigeria participates in various international organizations including the African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the United Nations (UN), and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Additional Issues

• Boko Haram: The Boko Haram terrorist group presents a significant challenge for Nigeria.
• Federal Character Principle: A quota system aims to balance representation among the diverse ethnic groups.

Explore the key aspects of Nigeria's government and political system, including its transition from authoritarianism to democracy, the federal structure, and the presidential election process. This quiz covers the bicameral legislature and the legal system of Nigeria. Test your knowledge about the political landscape of this West African country.