User:Eoc46/sandbox
Federal government of Nigeria
[edit]The Constitution provides a separation and balance of powers among the three branches, and aims to prevent the repetition of past mistakes made by the government.[1][2]
The federal government, state, and local governments of Nigeria aim to work cooperatively to govern the nation and its people.[3] Nigeria became a member of the British Commonwealth upon its independence from British colonial rule on October 1, 1960.[4] Women are allowed to participate in government in Nigeria, and throughout history females have tried to take political action and have their voices heard in Nigeria.[5] Currently, women hold at least 1/3 of political offices in the nation.[5]
Executive Branch
[edit]
The president is elected to see that the Nigerian Constitution is enacted and that the legislation is applied to the people.[6] The elected president is also in charge of the nation's armed forces and can serve no more than two four-year elected terms.[6][7] The current President of Nigeria is Muhammadu Buhari, who was elected in 2015 and the current Vice President is Yemi Oshinbajo.[7]
Legislative Branch
[edit]
The legislators are elected to either the House of Representatives or the Senate to be representatives of their constituencies and to pass legislation to benefit the public.[6] The legislative process consists of bills being drafted and presented in either of the two chambers.[6] These bills can only become national law once they are approved by the president of Nigeria who can deny proposals[6].
The President of the Senate is currently Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan, who was elected to the senate in 2007, and the Speaker of the House is Femi Gbajabiamila, who has been Nigeria's 9th Speaker of the House of Representatives since 2019.[7] Each member of the National Assembly of Nigeria can only be elected to two four-year terms.[7]
Recently, the Legislative branch has been misusing its position as a check on the power of the president and his cabinet.[8] Legislators have been known to utilize their power for not only law-making, but as a means of political intimidation and a tool to promote individual monetary success.[8]
Judicial Branch
[edit]The judicial branch of the Nigerian government is the only one of the three branches of government in which its members are not elected but are appointed.[6] The judiciary, and the Supreme Court in particular, are intended to uphold the principles and laws of the nation's constitution that was written in 1999.[9] Its goal is to protect the basic rights of the citizens.[9] The current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad.[7]
Political Parties
[edit]There are 18 recognized political parties in Nigeria.[10] There are a great number of parties as a direct result of corruption and chaos that has ensued in Nigeria surrounding the federal government and elections for years.[10] The vast number of parties has proved to be difficult to monitor.[10] The two major parties are the Peoples Democratic Party and the Action Peoples Party, both of which have held the presidency and seats in the National Assembly for extended periods of time.[10] As opposed to parties in other nations that represent a slew of political opinions that the public can align themselves with, parties in Nigeria act more so as a means through which prominent figures can gain power and influence, and there are so many because they often switch parties in order to find the one to give them the best chance of achieving authority.[10]
Political parties have been an important aspect of Nigerian government both before and after independence was achieved from the British in 1960.[10] Parties allow for political competition to take place, for the citizenry to find people who represent their ideas and interests in government, and for the introduction of new leaders and perspectives into Nigerian life.[10] Many Nigerians do not understand the political party system because there are so many options and their platforms are unclear to the public.[10] This remains an issue in Nigeria because it marginalizes those who are uneducated or uninvolved in government.[10] Also, there seems to be a tendency for people in Nigeria to support parties based on ethnic of religious divisions, particularly along the Muslim-Christian line of division.[10]
The 18 political parties are: Accord, Action Alliance, Action Democratic Party, Action Peoples Party, African Action Congress, African Democratic Congress, All Progressives Congress, All Progressives Grand Alliance, Allied Peoples Movement, Boot Party, Labour Party, National Rescue Movement, New Nigeria Peoples Party, Peoples Democratic Party, Peoples Redemption Party, Social Democratic Party, Young Progressive Party, Zenith Labour Party.[11]
Electoral System
[edit]The president and members of the National Assembly of Nigeria are elected by members of the population who are at least 18 years old.[7] The National Electoral Commission is responsible for monitoring elections and ensuring that the results are correct and not fraudulent.[7] The winner of a position is elected through the first-past-the-post system that is used in Great Britain.[7]
Nigeria has faced numerous bouts with fraudulent elections, particularly noteworthy is the general election that took place in 2007.[12] This election was reportedly marred by ballot-rigging, underage voting, violence, intimidation, and an overall absence of clarity and accuracy from the National Electoral Commission.[12]
Democracy in Nigeria
[edit]Nigeria democratized in 1999 with the start of the Fourth Republic, but has suffered some setbacks to becoming fully democratic.[13] Elites in Nigeria have been found to have more power and influence than average citizens, and as a consequence of this, there has been a great deal of corruption in Nigerian politics and general life.[13] A good sign of democracy in Nigeria is the fact that elections are becoming less fraudulent and there is more party competition.[13] Another indicator of a strong democracy is the presence of a civil society in which citizens have the right to act and speak freely in concert with a strong use of media for everyday life.[13] Furthermore, Nigeria has seen a heightened use of media within the realm of political issues, particularly with the recent SARS protest, indicating a sense of freedom for the public to voice their opinions to the government and the world.[13]
Level of Freedom
[edit]According to the 2020 World Press Freedom Index, Nigeria is the 115th most free nation in the world.[14] It has been noted as a nation with perpetuating violence against freedom of speech and press.[14] Nigeria has been found to be a vulnerable nation, both at risk of modern slavery and corruption.[15] The nation is vulnerable due to the effects of inner conflict and governance issues.[15] Freedom House has rated Nigeria as a "partly free" nation.[16] In the last presidential election, the process was tainted by violence, intimidation and vote buying, which have been prevalent in many of the recent elections within Nigeria.[16] Similarly, in the most recent legislative elections, citizens claimed the process was also characterized by intimidation and other inconsistencies.[16] The electoral process and related laws are thought to be enacted in a mostly fair fashion, but there have been instances of intentionally complicating voting and effecting turnout.[16] The people of Nigeria feel as though there is more freedom in their right to have different political parties to represent their opinions.[16] This is exemplified by the vast number of legitimate parties seen in elections.[16] Similarly, Nigerian opposition parties have a legitimate chance to participate in politics and win official positions.[16] In regards to freedom of political expression, Freedom House indicates that opinions and institutions are often heavily influenced by non-governmental, external entities or individuals.[16] In Nigeria, all ethnic groups and religious backgrounds have an equal opportunity to participate in politics, however, there is a lack of women elected into the government, and same-sex relationships were criminalized in 2014.[16] The Nigerian federal government's officials like the president and legislators are elected to enact policy and laws, and are usually allowed to do so without interruption, but in recent years, their ability to legislate has been marred by corruption and instability.[16] Corruption has been a major problem for the Nigerian government since its independence from colonial rule.[16] In particular, the oil sector has allowed a great deal of corruption to take place.[16] The government has tried to enact measures to combat corruption that infringes upon the functioning of the state, but have only been quasi-successful.[16] The government has also been rated as lacking in transparency, often not allowing records to be available to the public that should be readily available[16]. Journalism and the media in Nigeria are somewhat free, they are allowed to function independently from the government, but often times those who criticize public figures or offices are arrested or censored.[16] Religious freedom is allowed in Nigeria, however, the government and even non-governmental organizations have been known to violently responds to groups that openly dissent to the federal government[16]. Religion is a contentious topic in Nigeria because of heated, ongoing conflicts between Christians and Muslims within the state.[16] Freedom House rated the Nigerian federal government well in the category of allowing academic freedom, and the public's ability to express their views even if they disagree without the government without fearing a negative reaction from the government.[16] The Nigerian government was rated moderately on people's ability to assemble, ability to work with human rights, and the existence of unions.[16] The judiciary was rated as moderately free from the government, and lacking in due process in trials and equal treatment of all members of society.[16] People in Nigeria do not have great freedom of movement, and are often subjected to curfews set by the federal government in areas that are at a risk of violence or instability.[16] There is a lack of protection for women in regards to rights to abortion, rape, and domestic abuse under the Nigerian federal government.[16] Lastly, there is a pervasive human-trafficking problem in Nigeria and frequent exploitation of citizens that the federal government has done a poor job to prevent.[16]
Commonwealth Membership
[edit]Nigeria's membership in the British Commonwealth began in 1960 and was suspended from 1995-1999 when the country became a state under military rule.[4] It was reinstated in 1999 when democracy was established with the Presidential Constitution and Fourth Republic of Nigeria, and it remains a part of the Commonwealth to this day.[4] The Commonwealth Secretariat aims to help Nigeria detect and deter corruption within its federal government.[4] In 2018, they taught numerous government officials and financial officers how to combat and condemn corruption within the nation.[4] The Secretariat's involvement both in governmental and financial affairs created a better system for the transaction of goods and services in Nigeria with less risk of corruption.[4] As of 2017, the Commonwealth has provided Nigeria with policies and resources for Great Britain's exit from the European Union and outlined the possible effects on Commonwealth nations and trade.[4] The Commonwealth Secretariat has helped Nigeria in its natural resource fields such as oil and mining.[4] They have helped with negotiations and the the creation of fair bargains.[4] The Commonwealth Secretariat has also provided Nigeria with access to their Connectivity Agenda, which allows nations under the Commonwealth to communicate and exchange ideas and policies to help each other with economic and domestic productivity.[4]
Terrorism in Nigeria
[edit]The greatest terrorist threat in Nigeria is from the organization Boko Haram, and became a prevalent issue in the summer of 2009.[17] Boko Haram is a radical jihadist Islamist terrorist group from the northern sect of Nigeria.[17] This organization has launched terror attacks that have largely targeted the Nigerian federal government, non-Muslim religious organizations, and average citizens.[17] The rise and growing effects of Boko Haram have been attributed to the instability and fragility of the Nigerian state.[17] They are upset by the government corruption and policy failures of Nigeria, and in particular, the poverty and lack of development of the north of Nigeria which is predominantly Muslim.[17] The impact of Boko Haram on Nigeria has been devastating, over 37,000 individuals have died due to their terrorist attacks since 2011, and over 200,000 Nigerians have been displaced.[18] Boko Haram was responsible for the kidnapping of hundreds of school girls in 2014, triggering the #BringBackOurGirls movement across the globe.[18] The terrorist organization became a part of ISIS in 2015, drawing concerns to the safety and stability of Nigeria.[18] Many world powers including the United States have contributed military resources to help fight against Boko Haram because Nigeria's oil industry is crucial to the international economy.[18] The Nigerian federal government has launched programs and tactics to combat Boko Horam because of their prevalence.[19] There has also been a recent rise in citizen-created, and in particular youth-led groups that are taking action against Boko Haram to protect themselves and their communities.[19] Both the actions of Boko Haram and the government's efforts to combat terrorism have led to a growing refugee crisis in Nigeria.[19]
Christian-Muslim Relations
[edit]
Islamic Law has found its way into the heart of many Nigerian state governments, particularly in the northern sect of the country.[20] There is a deep rift between Christians and Muslim in Nigeria, and therefore the government has taken on a hybrid of English Common Law and Islamic Law when dealing with legal issues in order to appease the diverse national population.[21][20] Nigeria has the largest population of Christians and Muslims cohabitating in the world.[22] These two religions were introduced in Nigeria largely during the colonial period, and since then, many Africans have merged their own traditional religions with these two institutionalized ones.[22]
Religious tensions between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria has often been used by politicians and other powerful people in order to incite violence and create fear and chaos among Nigerians.[22] This has led to many citizens questioning why Nigeria remains one federal state, and that it should possibly split along the Christian-Muslim divide.[22] The Northern section of the country is largely Islamic, with 12 states that live under Sharia Law, while the Southern area is mostly Christian.[22] There have been multiple attempts by Nigerian Muslims to add Sharia concepts to the Constitution which has alarmed the Christian population within the nation.[22] Many Christians have deemed the rise in Islam in Nigeria to be dangerous and that it could possibly lead to increased terrorism and instability.[22] This conflict is threatening the stability of Nigeria's democracy, internal structure, and civil society, and many political scientists and Nigerian leaders hope the two religions can engage in a peaceful dialogue that hopefully pacifies both sides.[22]
States of Nigeria
[edit]
Local Governments
[edit]These states and their local governments are essential to the function of a federal government because they have a pulse on the local population and can therefore assess the needs of constituents and enact policy or infrastructure that is helpful.[23] They are also important because the federal government has the time and resources to take on national projects and international affairs while local governments can take care of the Nigerians native to their respective states.[23] The devolution of power between the states and the federal government helps the functionality of Nigeria.[23] 774 local governments oversee the collection of local taxes, education, health care, roads, waste, and planning.[3]
Media
[edit]Radio and televised media in Nigeria is mostly state-owned by the National Broadcasting Commission.[7] This is often used as a tactic of the government to assert control over and sway public opinion in favor of the incumbent party and his policies.[7] However, most newspaper are privately owned and the internet is not restricted to the public.[7]
Foreign Relations
[edit]The current Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria is Geoffrey Jideofor Kwusike Onyeama.[7] Much of Nigeria's foreign affairs, both during the colonial era and post-independence has relied on oil-production.[7] Nigeria's relationships with both its continental neighbors in Africa and throughout the world have improved a great deal since it has transitioned from military rule to a democratic state.[7] Nigeria is hoping to gain a permanent seat on the UN Security Council in the near future.[7]
Federal Government's Handling of COVID-19
[edit]As Africa's most populated nation, the coronavirus pandemic has ravaged across Nigeria.[24] Nigeria has proved that can detect, respond to, and prevent the COVID-19 outbreak in a very restricted, poor fashion.[24] Nigeria lacks the resources to conduct the widespread testing the nation needs to keep up with the number of cases surging across the state.[24] Nigeria also lacks the necessary number of other resources for fighting the virus such as hospital workers, rooms, and ventilators.[24]
The federal government's response to the virus has been fairly weak and ineffective.[24] President Buhari has passed numerous lockdowns, mask mandates, and travel bans to decrease the number of cases in the country.[24] However, the lockdowns, mandates, and travel restrictions have led to negative economic effects for a great number of citizens who have lost their jobs and source of income.[24] In response to this, the federal government has passed economic stimulus packages to promote important production sectors such as agriculture and oil.[25] The government has also passed food assistance measures and cash transfers to aid those in poverty who are going hungry.[24] They have also pushed for fundraising efforts to secure funds from donors to support the federal budget and economic sector.[24]
References
[edit]- ^ Tobi, Niki (1981). "Judicial Independence in Nigeria". International Law Practitioner.
- ^ Herskovits, Jean (1979). "Democracy in Nigeria". Foreign Affairs. 58 (2): 314–335. doi:10.2307/20040417. ISSN 0015-7120.
- ^ a b "THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM IN NIGERIA" (PDF). Commonwealth Local Government Forum.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d e f g h i j Hydrant (http://www.hydrant.co.uk) (2013-08-15). "Nigeria". The Commonwealth. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Olufunke Olufade, Adenike (September 26, 2013). "Nigerian women, politics and the national identity question" (PDF). African Educational Research Journal.
- ^ a b c d e f "Practical Law UK Signon". signon.thomsonreuters.com. Retrieved 2020-10-30.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Government". nigeriaembassygermany.org. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
- ^ a b Nwagwu, Ejikeme Jombo (2014). "Legislative Oversight in Nigeria: A Watchdog or a Hunting Dog". Journal of Law, Policy and Globalization. 22: 16.
- ^ a b Grove, David Lavan (1963). "The Sentinels of Liberty- The Nigerian Judiciary and Fundamental Rights". Journal of African Law. 7: pp 152-171 – via HeinOnline.
{{cite journal}}:|pages=has extra text (help) - ^ a b c d e f g h i j "The Role of Political Parties in Nigeria's Fledgling Democracy" (PDF). International Republic Institute. 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Political Parties – INEC Nigeria". www.inecnigeria.org. Retrieved 2020-10-28.
- ^ a b Goitom, Hanibal (May 2015). "Nigeria: Election Laws | Law Library of Congress". www.loc.gov.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d e "Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance | Nigeria | U.S. Agency for International Development". www.usaid.gov. 2016-10-04. Retrieved 2020-10-28.
- ^ a b "Nigeria : Climate of permanent violence | Reporters without borders". RSF. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
- ^ a b "Africa | Global Slavery Index". www.globalslaveryindex.org. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "Nigeria". Freedom House. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
- ^ a b c d e Uzodike, Ufo Okeke; Maiangwa, Benjamin (2012-01-01). "Boko Haram terrorism in Nigeria : causal factors and central problematic". African Renaissance. 9 (1): 91–118.
- ^ a b c d "Boko Haram in Nigeria". Global Conflict Tracker. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
- ^ a b c Harjani, Manoj (2013). "Nigeria's Fight against Boko Haram". Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses. 5 (7): 12–15. ISSN 2382-6444.
- ^ a b Christelow, Allan (2019). "Islamic Law". Oxford Bibliographies.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Ollennu, N. M. (1961). "The Influence of English Law on West Africa". Journal of African Law. 5 (1): 21–35. ISSN 0021-8553.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Akinade, Akintunde E. (2002). "The Precarious Agenda: Christian-Muslim Relations in Contemporary Nigeria" (PDF). Hartford Seminary.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c Okudulo, Ikemefuna Paul Taire; Onah, Emmanuel Ikechi (2019). "Efficient Local Governments and the Stability of Federalism in Nigeria". African Renaissance: pp 11-25 – via ProQuest.
{{cite journal}}:|pages=has extra text (help) - ^ a b c d e f g h i Onwujekwe, Siddharth Dixit, Yewande Kofoworola Ogundeji, and Obinna (2020-07-02). "How well has Nigeria responded to COVID-19?". Brookings. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Ukpe, William (2020-11-07). "Covid-19: N3.5 trillion disbursed as stimulus package for the Nigerian economy". Nairametrics. Retrieved 2020-11-12.