Constitution of Nigeria
Encyclopedia
The Constitution of Nigeria is the supreme law
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
.
Nigeria has had a series of constitutions. The current constitution was enacted on 29 May 1999, inaugurating the Nigerian Fourth Republic
.
, when the country was governed as part of the British Empire
. The constitutions enacted during this period were those of 1913 (which came into effect on 1 January 1914), 1922, 1946, 1951 (the Macpherson constitution), and 1954 (the Lyttelton
constitution).
order in council so as to come into force immediately upon independence, on 1 October 1960. Under this constitution Nigeria was a "Commonwealth realm
", i.e. a monarchy
sharing its ceremonial head of state with the United Kingdom and a number of other countries such as Canada
.
. It came into force on 1 October 1963 (Nigeria's third anniversary as an independent nation). The 1963 constitution, which was based on the Westminster system
, continued in operation until a military coup in 1966 overthrew Nigeria's democratic institutions.
, abandoned the Westminster system in favour of an American
-style presidential system
, with a directly-elected
executive
. To avoid the pitfalls of the First Republic, the constitution mandated that political parties and cabinet positions reflect the "federal character" of the nation: political parties were required to be registered in at least two-thirds of the states
, and each state had to have at least one member of the cabinet from it.
The 1979 constitution was overthrown by a military coup on the last day of 1983.
The constitution was co-authored by Billy Dudley
.
, but was never fully implemented, and the military resumed power until 1999.
In January 2011, two amendments of the 1999 constitution were signed by President Goodluck Jonathan, the first modifications since the document came into use in 1999.
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
Nigeria has had a series of constitutions. The current constitution was enacted on 29 May 1999, inaugurating the Nigerian Fourth Republic
Nigerian Fourth Republic
The Fourth Republic is the republican government of Nigeria. Since 1999 it has governed the country according to the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Second Republic, which was in place between 1979 and 1983 and suffers many of the same problems, such as multiple...
.
Colonial era (1914–1960)
Nigeria's first constitutions were enacted by order in council during the colonial eraColonial Nigeria
Colonial Nigeria ran from 1800 till October 1, 1960 when it gained independence. Up until the amalgamation of 1914, the country's constituting parts existed as separate British protectorates.-Abolition of the Slave Trade:...
, when the country was governed as part of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. The constitutions enacted during this period were those of 1913 (which came into effect on 1 January 1914), 1922, 1946, 1951 (the Macpherson constitution), and 1954 (the Lyttelton
Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos
Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos KG, PC, DSO, MC was a British businessman who was brought into government during the Second World War, holding a number of ministerial posts.-Background, education and military career:...
constitution).
Independence constitution (1960)
Nigeria's first constitution as a sovereign state was enacted by a BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
order in council so as to come into force immediately upon independence, on 1 October 1960. Under this constitution Nigeria was a "Commonwealth realm
Commonwealth Realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
", i.e. a monarchy
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
sharing its ceremonial head of state with the United Kingdom and a number of other countries such as Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
1963 constitution (First Republic)
Independent Nigeria's second constitution established the country as a federal republicNigerian First Republic
The First Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1963 and 1966 governed by the first republican constitution.-Founding :...
. It came into force on 1 October 1963 (Nigeria's third anniversary as an independent nation). The 1963 constitution, which was based on the Westminster system
Westminster System
The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary system of government modelled after the politics of the United Kingdom. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
, continued in operation until a military coup in 1966 overthrew Nigeria's democratic institutions.
1979 constitution (Second Republic)
The 1979 constitution, which brought in the Second RepublicNigerian Second Republic
The Second Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983 governed by the second republican constitution.- Founding :...
, abandoned the Westminster system in favour of an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-style presidential system
Presidential system
A presidential system is a system of government where an executive branch exists and presides separately from the legislature, to which it is not responsible and which cannot, in normal circumstances, dismiss it....
, with a directly-elected
Direct election
Direct election is a term describing a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the person, persons or political party that they desire to see elected. The method by which the winner or winners of a direct election are chosen depends upon the...
executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
. To avoid the pitfalls of the First Republic, the constitution mandated that political parties and cabinet positions reflect the "federal character" of the nation: political parties were required to be registered in at least two-thirds of the states
States of Nigeria
Nigeria is currently divided into 36 states and Abuja, the federal capital territory. The states are further divided into 774 Local Government Areas....
, and each state had to have at least one member of the cabinet from it.
The 1979 constitution was overthrown by a military coup on the last day of 1983.
The constitution was co-authored by Billy Dudley
Billy Dudley
Billy Joseph Stanley Oritsesaninomi Dudley was a leading Nigerian political scientist, working mostly at the University of Ibadan , which he joined in 1959...
.
1993 constitution (Third Republic)
The 1993 constitution was intended to see the return of democratic rule to Nigeria with the establishment of a Third RepublicNigerian Third Republic
The Third Republic was the planned republican government of Nigeria in 1993 which was to be governed by the Third Republican constitution.- Founding :...
, but was never fully implemented, and the military resumed power until 1999.
1999 constitution (Fourth Republic)
The 1999 constitution restored democratic rule to Nigeria, and remains in force today.In January 2011, two amendments of the 1999 constitution were signed by President Goodluck Jonathan, the first modifications since the document came into use in 1999.
External links
- Text of 1979 constitution (via the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)