Download - Nigerian Political + Linkage Institutions
Nigerian Political + Nigerian Political + Linkage InstitutionsLinkage Institutions
Executive BranchExecutive Branch
U.S. presidential model with two-U.S. presidential model with two-term limits (4 year terms)term limits (4 year terms)
Strongest branch of governmentStrongest branch of government
Executive IIExecutive II Military RuleMilitary Rule
7 differentmilitary 7 differentmilitary rulersrulers
All promised All promised transition to transition to democracydemocracy
Only 2 deliveredOnly 2 delivered Repression and Repression and
violenceviolence Concentrated power Concentrated power
in the executivein the executive
Patron-Clientelism Patron-Clientelism (prebendalism)(prebendalism) Generals/Presidents Generals/Presidents
head of patron-client head of patron-client systemsystem
Dispense government Dispense government jobs and resources as jobs and resources as rewards to supportersrewards to supporters
Cabinet positions & Cabinet positions & bureaucratic chiefs bureaucratic chiefs part of patronage part of patronage systemsystem
Elections & Electoral ProceduresElections & Electoral Procedures
Citizens vote for candidates on 3 levels: Citizens vote for candidates on 3 levels: local, state, and nationallocal, state, and national
Presidential ElectionsPresidential Elections If presidential candidate does not receive outright If presidential candidate does not receive outright
majority, a second election takes placemajority, a second election takes place President must receive at least 25% of the votes in President must receive at least 25% of the votes in
2/3 of the states2/3 of the states A purely regional candidate cannot winA purely regional candidate cannot win Requirement reflects difficulty experienced in Requirement reflects difficulty experienced in
attempt to unify Nigeriaattempt to unify Nigeria Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
BureaucracyBureaucracy
Bureaucracy bloated, corrupt, and Bureaucracy bloated, corrupt, and inefficientinefficient Bribery is commonBribery is common
Jobs in civil service are often Jobs in civil service are often awarded through the patron-client awarded through the patron-client system, system, PrebendalismPrebendalism
LegislatureLegislature
A parliamentary system until 1979A parliamentary system until 1979 Replaced by a bicameral legislature Replaced by a bicameral legislature
(Senate & House of Representatives)(Senate & House of Representatives) Nigerian legislature has traditionally been Nigerian legislature has traditionally been
very weak in relation to executivevery weak in relation to executive
Legislature IILegislature II
SenateSenate 109 Senators109 Senators 3 from each of the 3 from each of the
36 states36 states 1 from Abuja district1 from Abuja district Directly elected by Directly elected by
popular votepopular vote Ethnically and Ethnically and
religiously diversereligiously diverse Very little Very little
representation of representation of womenwomen
House of House of RepresentativesRepresentatives 360 members360 members Single-member Single-member
districts, elected by districts, elected by plurality voteplurality vote
Very little Very little representation of representation of womenwomen
JudiciaryJudiciary
Judiciary responsible for interpreting Judiciary responsible for interpreting laws in accordance with the Constitutionlaws in accordance with the Constitution Judicial review exists but limited by Judicial review exists but limited by
power of executivepower of executive State and local courts can exercise some State and local courts can exercise some
independenceindependence Shari’a courts exist (in North) in Shari’a courts exist (in North) in
parallel existence with courts parallel existence with courts developed on British modeldeveloped on British model
Customary law used throughout Customary law used throughout Nigeria based on local customsNigeria based on local customs
MilitaryMilitary
Strong policy-making force in Nigeria (as in Strong policy-making force in Nigeria (as in many developing countries)many developing countries)
Military is one of the few institutions that is Military is one of the few institutions that is truly national in charactertruly national in character Membership cuts across social cleavagesMembership cuts across social cleavages
Military has restored and maintained order Military has restored and maintained order during ethnic strife and conflictduring ethnic strife and conflict
Mass MediaMass Media
Nigeria has well-developed, independent Nigeria has well-developed, independent presspress
Press reflects ethnic divisions in the Press reflects ethnic divisions in the countrycountry
Outspoken and critical newspapers mainly Outspoken and critical newspapers mainly in the southin the south
Radio is the main source of information for Radio is the main source of information for most Nigeriansmost Nigerians All 36 states have their own radio stationsAll 36 states have their own radio stations
Political PartiesPolitical Parties
Weak party systemWeak party system Main purpose to gain powerMain purpose to gain power No distinct ideological differencesNo distinct ideological differences Formed around alliances of powerful elitesFormed around alliances of powerful elites
To prevent ethnic-based parties of First and To prevent ethnic-based parties of First and Second Republics, a threshold requirement was Second Republics, a threshold requirement was establishedestablished Reduced number of parties and forced existing Reduced number of parties and forced existing
parties to broaden their appealparties to broaden their appeal Led to dominance of PDPLed to dominance of PDP
ParastatalsParastatals
Most government agencies are Most government agencies are parastatalsparastatals – corporations owned by the – corporations owned by the state (similar to Mexico)state (similar to Mexico)
Board members appointed by government Board members appointed by government ministersministers Patronage systemPatronage system
Parastatals provide public utilities + Parastatals provide public utilities + control major industriescontrol major industries
State CorporatismState Corporatism
Corporatism – political system that allows Corporatism – political system that allows for political input from selected interest for political input from selected interest groups outside the government structuregroups outside the government structure
In Nigeria, this input is provided by In Nigeria, this input is provided by parastatalsparastatals
Because they are controlled by the Because they are controlled by the government, it is referred to as government, it is referred to as State State CorporatismCorporatism