1 / 13

Nigerian Political + Linkage Institutions

Nigerian Political + Linkage Institutions. Executive Branch. U.S. presidential model with two-term limits (4 year terms) Strongest branch of government. Military Rule 7 differentmilitary rulers All promised transition to democracy Only 2 delivered Repression and violence

edward-saunders
Download Presentation

Nigerian Political + Linkage Institutions

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Nigerian Political + Linkage Institutions

  2. Executive Branch • U.S. presidential model with two-term limits (4 year terms) • Strongest branch of government

  3. Military Rule 7 differentmilitary rulers All promised transition to democracy Only 2 delivered Repression and violence Concentrated power in the executive Patron-Clientelism (prebendalism) Generals/Presidents head of patron-client system Dispense government jobs and resources as rewards to supporters Cabinet positions & bureaucratic chiefs part of patronage system Executive II

  4. Elections & Electoral Procedures • Citizens vote for candidates on 3 levels: local, state, and national • Presidential Elections • If presidential candidate does not receive outright majority, a second election takes place • President must receive at least 25% of the votes in 2/3 of the states • A purely regional candidate cannot win • Requirement reflects difficulty experienced in attempt to unify Nigeria • Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

  5. Bureaucracy • Bureaucracy bloated, corrupt, and inefficient • Bribery is common • Jobs in civil service are often awarded through the patron-client system, Prebendalism

  6. Legislature • A parliamentary system until 1979 • Replaced by a bicameral legislature (Senate & House of Representatives) • Nigerian legislature has traditionally been very weak in relation to executive

  7. Senate 109 Senators 3 from each of the 36 states 1 from Abuja district Directly elected by popular vote Ethnically and religiously diverse Very little representation of women House of Representatives 360 members Single-member districts, elected by plurality vote Very little representation of women Legislature II

  8. Judiciary • Judiciary responsible for interpreting laws in accordance with the Constitution • Judicial review exists but limited by power of executive • State and local courts can exercise some independence • Shari’a courts exist (in North) in parallel existence with courts developed on British model • Customary law used throughout Nigeria based on local customs

  9. Military • Strong policy-making force in Nigeria (as in many developing countries) • Military is one of the few institutions that is truly national in character • Membership cuts across social cleavages • Military has restored and maintained order during ethnic strife and conflict

  10. Mass Media • Nigeria has well-developed, independent press • Press reflects ethnic divisions in the country • Outspoken and critical newspapers mainly in the south • Radio is the main source of information for most Nigerians • All 36 states have their own radio stations

  11. Political Parties • Weak party system • Main purpose to gain power • No distinct ideological differences • Formed around alliances of powerful elites • To prevent ethnic-based parties of First and Second Republics, a threshold requirement was established • Reduced number of parties and forced existing parties to broaden their appeal • Led to dominance of PDP

  12. Most government agencies are parastatals – corporations owned by the state (similar to Mexico) Board members appointed by government ministers Patronage system Parastatals provide public utilities + control major industries Parastatals

  13. State Corporatism • Corporatism – political system that allows for political input from selected interest groups outside the government structure • In Nigeria, this input is provided by parastatals • Because they are controlled by the government, it is referred to as State Corporatism

More Related