Politics of Nigeria 21387 212813312 2008-05-16T11:28:12Z ScottDavis 161735 link Montesquieu {{Politics of Nigeria}} '''Politics of Nigeria''' take place in a framework of a [[federation|federal]] [[presidential system|presidential]] [[representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[republic]], whereby the [[President of Nigeria]] ([[Umaru Musa Yar'Adua]]) is both [[head of state]] and [[head of government]], and of a [[multi-party system]]. [[Executive power]] is exercised by the government. [[Legislative power]] is vested in both the [[government]] and the two chambers of the legislature, the [[Nigerian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and the [[Nigerian Senate|Senate]]. Nigerian senate is the upper chamber of the legislative house while the house of representatives is the lower house; together they make up the law-making body in Nigeria called the National Assembly. The highest judiciary arm of government in Nigeria in the form of a court is the [[Supreme Court of Nigeria]]. Nigeria also practices [[Baron de Montesquieu]]'s theory of separation of powers. The National Assembly serves as a watchdog to the excesses of the executive arm of government. ==Executive branch== The president is elected by the people. He is both the chief of state and head of government and heads the Federal Executive Council. Nigeria has a rotating presidency so that the three major regions of Nigeria (the North, the East, and the West) share political control of the country. The executive branch is divided into the following Ministries:<ref>[http://www.nigeria.gov.ng/Ministries.aspx The Official Information Gateway of the Federal Republic of Nigeria] (accessed [[16 July]] [[2006]])</ref> <ref>{{cite news | first = | last = | author = | url =http://allafrica.com/stories/200606220014.html | title =Nigeria: President Swears in Five New Ministers, Reshuffles Cabinet | publisher =Nigeria First | pages = | page = | date =[[22 June]] [[2006]] | accessdate =2006-07-16 }}</ref> <ref>{{cite news | first = | last = | author = Okey Mugbo and Olawale Rasheed | url =http://www.tribune.com.ng/23062006/news/news1.html | title =Obasanjo sacks 8 Atiku’s aides - Swears in 2 new ministers | publisher =Nigerian Tribune | pages = | page = | date = [[23 June]] [[2006]] | accessdate =2006-07-16 }}</ref> === Federal Executive Council (Cabinet) === [[Image:Nigerian-Presidential-Seal1.jpg|thumb|right|240px| [[Seal of the President of Nigeria|Seal of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria]] ]] {| cellpadding=1 cellspacing=4 style="margin:3px; border:3px solid #000000;" | bgcolor=#000000 colspan=3| |- | '''OFFICE''' | '''NAME''' | '''TERM''' |- | bgcolor=#000000 colspan=3| |- | [[President of Nigeria|President]] | '''[[Umaru Yar'Adua]]''' | 2007&ndash;incumbent |- | [[Vice President of Nigeria|Vice President]] | '''[[Goodluck Jonathan]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent |- | [[Secretary to the Federal Government of Nigeria|Secretary to the Federal Government]] ||'''[[Baba Gana Kingibe]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent |- | bgcolor=#000000 colspan=3| |- | Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources | '''[[Abba Ruma]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | Minister of Commerce & Industry | '''[[Charles Ugwuh]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | [[Defence Minister of Nigeria|Minister of Defence]] | '''[[Mahmud Ahmed]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | Minister of Education | '''[[Igwe Aja-Nwachukwu]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | Minister of Environment and Housing | '''[[Halima Alao]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | Minister of FCT Administration | '''[[Aliyu Umar]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | [[Finance Minister of Nigeria|Minister of Finance]] | '''[[Shamsudeen Usman]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | [[Foreign Minister of Nigeria|Minister of Foreign Affairs]] | '''[[Ojo Maduekwe]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | Minister of Health | '''[[---------]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | Minister of Information and Communication | '''[[John Odey]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | Minister of the Interior | '''[[Godwin Abbe]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | Minister of Justice (Attorney General) | '''[[Micheal Aondoakaa]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | Minister of Labour | '''[[Hassan Lawal]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | Minister of Mines and Steel Development | '''[[Sarafa Isola]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | Minister of Science and Technology | '''[[Grace Ekpiwhre]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | Minister of Transportation | '''[[Diezani Alison-Madueke]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation | '''[[Adetokunbo Kayode]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | Minister of Youth Development | '''[[Akinlabi Olasunkanmi]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | Minister of Women Affairs | '''[[Saudatu Bungudu]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | Minister/Deputy Chairman National Planning Commission | '''[[Sanusi Daggash]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- | Minister/Chairman, National Sports Commission | '''[[Abdulrahman Gimba]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent | |- |} ''* Ministers have been sworn into office as of July 26, 2007. ''* Please Note that State Ministers were sworn in also ==Legislative branch== The [[National Assembly of Nigeria]] has two [[bicameralism|chambers]]. The [[Nigerian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] is presided upon by the [[Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives|Speaker of the House of Representatives]]. It has 360 members, elected for a four year term in single-seat [[constituency|constituencies]]. The [[Nigerian Senate|Senate]] is presided upon by the [[President of the Nigerian Senate|President of the Senate]]. It has 109 members, elected for a four year term in 36 three-seat [[constituency|constituencies]] (corresponding to the country's 36 [[States of Nigeria|states]]) and one seat in a single-seat constituency (the federal capital, [[Abuja]]). {| cellpadding=1 cellspacing=4 style="margin:3px; border:3px solid #000000;" | bgcolor=#000000 colspan=3| |- | '''OFFICE''' | '''NAME''' | '''TERM''' |- | bgcolor=#000000 colspan=3| |- | [[President of the Nigerian Senate|President of the Senate]] | '''[[David Mark]]''' | 2007&ndash;incumbent |- | [[Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives|Speaker of the House of Representatives]] ||'''[[Dimeji Bankole]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent |- |} ==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 [[Nigerian Senate|Senate]]. {| cellpadding=1 cellspacing=4 style="margin:3px; border:3px solid #000000;" | bgcolor=#000000 colspan=3| |- | '''OFFICE''' | '''NAME''' | '''TERM''' |- | bgcolor=#000000 colspan=3| |- | [[Chief Justice of Nigeria|Chief Justice]] | '''[[Idris Legbo Kutigi]]''' | 2007&ndash;incumbent |- | [[Associate Justice]] ||'''[[Sylvester Umaru Onu]]'''||align="left"|1993&ndash;incumbent |- | [[Associate Justice]] ||'''[[A. I. Katsina-Alu]]'''||align="left"|1998&ndash;incumbent |- | [[Associate Justice]] ||'''[[Umaru Atu Kalgo]]'''||align="left"|1998&ndash;incumbent |- | [[Associate Justice]] ||'''[[Niki Tobi]]'''||align="left"|2002&ndash;incumbent |- | [[Associate Justice]] ||'''[[Dahiru Musdapher]]'''||align="left"|2003&ndash;incumbent |- | [[Associate Justice]] ||'''[[G. A. Oguntade]]'''||align="left"|2004&ndash;incumbent |- | [[Associate Justice]] ||'''[[Sunday A. Akintan]]'''||align="left"|2004&ndash;incumbent |- | [[Associate Justice]] ||'''[[A. M. Mukhtar]]'''||align="left"|2005&ndash;incumbent |- | [[Associate Justice]] ||'''[[Mahmud Mohammed]]'''||align="left"|2005&ndash;incumbent |- | [[Associate Justice]] ||'''[[Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen]]'''||align="left"|2005&ndash;incumbent |- | [[Associate Justice]] ||'''[[Ikechi Francis Ogbuagu]]'''||align="left"|2005&ndash;incumbent |- | [[Associate Justice]] ||'''[[F. F. Tabai]]'''||align="left"|1999&ndash;incumbent |- | [[Associate Justice]] ||'''[[Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad]]'''||align="left"|2007&ndash;incumbent |- |} ==Political parties and elections== {{elect|List of political parties in Nigeria|Elections in Nigeria}} {{Nigerian presidential election, 2007}} {{Nigerian legislative election, 2003}} ==Legal system== There are four distinct systems of law in Nigeria. [[English Law]] which is derived from its [[British Empire|colonial]] past with Britain, [[common law]], [[constitutional law]] (both a development of its post colonial independence), and [[Sharia]] law, used only in the predominantly Hausa and Muslim north of the country. Like the United States, there is a [[Judicial branch]] with a [[Supreme Court of Nigeria|Supreme Court]] which is regarded as the highest court of the land. ==Administrative divisions== The federation is divided in 36 states and 1 territory*; [[Abuja|Federal Capital Territory (Abuja)]]*, [[Abia State|Abia]], [[Adamawa State|Adamawa]], [[Akwa Ibom State|Akwa Ibom]], [[Anambra State|Anambra]], [[Bauchi State|Bauchi]], [[Bayelsa State|Bayelsa]], [[Benue State|Benue]], [[Borno State|Borno]], [[Cross River State|Cross River]], [[Delta State, Nigeria|Delta]], [[Ebonyi State|Ebonyi]], [[Edo State|Edo]], [[Ekiti State|Ekiti]], [[Enugu State|Enugu]], [[Gombe State|Gombe]], [[Imo State|Imo]], [[Jigawa State|Jigawa]], [[Kaduna State|Kaduna]], [[Kano State|Kano]], [[Katsina State|Katsina]], [[Kebbi State|Kebbi]], [[Kogi State|Kogi]], [[Kwara State|Kwara]], [[Lagos State|Lagos]], [[Nasarawa State|Nasarawa]], [[Niger State|Niger]], [[Ogun State|Ogun]], [[Ondo State|Ondo]], [[Osun State|Osun]], [[Oyo State|Oyo]], [[Plateau State|Plateau]], [[Rivers State|Rivers]], [[Sokoto State|Sokoto]], [[Taraba State|Taraba]], [[Yobe State|Yobe]], [[Zamfara State|Zamfara]] Each state is further divided into Local Government Areas (LGAs). There are 774 LGAs in Nigeria.<ref name="USAID2">[http://www.usaid.gov/ng/admin_divisions.htm "USAID Nigeria mission: Nigeria administrative divisions" October 2004]</ref> 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.<ref name="USAID2"/> The Local Government Areas replaced the Districts that were the third tier administrative unit under the British government. ==Military== {{main|Military of Nigeria}} [[Image:Nigerian troops with US C130.jpg|thumb|290px|Nigerian troops]] 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 [[military dictatorship|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]], [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|former Yugoslavia]], [[Angola]], [[Rwanda]], [[Somalia]], and [[Sierra Leone]]. The [[Nigerian Navy]] (7,000) is equipped with [[MEKO|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 [[United Nations|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 (Lomé Convention)|ACP]], [[African Development Bank|AfDB]], [[Commonwealth of Nations|C]], [[United Nations Economic Commission for Africa|ECA]], [[African Union|AU]] [[Economic Community of West African States|ECOWAS]], [[FAO]], [[Group of 15|G-15]], [[G-19]], [[G-24]], [[Group of 77|G-77]], [[International Atomic Energy Agency|IAEA]], [[International Bank for Reconstruction and Development|IBRD]], [[International Civil Aviation Organization|ICAO]], [[International Criminal Court|ICCt]], [[International Chamber of Commerce|ICC]], [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]], [[International Development Association|IDA]], [[International Fund for Agricultural Development|IFAD]], [[International Finance Corporation|IFC]], [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|IFRCS]], [[International Hydrographic Organization|IHO]], [[International Labor Organization|ILO]], [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]], [[International Maritime Organization|IMO]], [[International Mobile Satellite Organization|Inmarsat]], [[Intelsat]], [[Interpol]], [[International Olympic Committee|IOC]], [[International Organization for Standardization|ISO]], [[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]], [[United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara|MINURSO]], [[Non-Aligned Movement|NAM]], [[OPCW]], [[Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries|OPEC]], [[Permanent Court of Arbitration|PCA]], [[United Nations|UN]], [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|UNCTAD]], [[UNESCO]], [[UNHCR]], [[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UNIDO]], [[UNIKOM]], [[United Nations Institute for Training and Research|UNITAR]], [[United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina|UNMIBH]], [[United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo|UNMIK]], [[United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka|UNMOP]], [[UNMOT]], [[United Nations University|UNU]], [[Universal Postal Union|UPU]], [[World Confederation of Labour|WCL]], [[World Customs Organization|WCO]], [[World Federation of Trade Unions|EFTU]], [[World Health Organization|WHO]], [[World Intellectual Property Organization|WIPO]], [[World Meteorological Organization|WMO]], [[World Tourism Organization|WToO]], [[World Trade Organization|WTrO]] ==Links== *[http://www.nigeria.gov.ng NigeriaDirect - Official website of the Federal Republic of Nigeria] ==References== {{reflist}} {{Nigerian Heads of State}} {{NigerianVicePresidents}} {{President Nigerian Senate}} {{Speaker Nigerian House of Representatives}} {{NigerianAssembly delegation}} {{Supreme Court of Nigeria}} {{Africa in topic|Politics of}} [[Category:Government of Nigeria]] [[Category:Politics of Nigeria| ]] [[fr:Politique du Nigéria]] [[pt:Política da Nigéria]]