Nigeria

Government and Politics

Map

A Nation of Nations
Hausa northern Nigeria, traders, governed by emirs, Muslim, eventually merged with the Fulani northern, herders, Muslim Yoruba southwest Nigeria, farmers, governed by kings, Christians and Muslims Igbo southeast Nigeria, farmers, stateless, ruled by village councils, Christians Middle Belt contains many small tribes

Colonial History
1885 Berlin Conference British Rule indirect rule through the kings, chiefs, emirs of the H-F direct rule through appointed warrant chiefs over the I, Y, MB, established schools to train bureaucrats to help run the colony, especially in the Southeast kept nations in competition with each other cash cropping replaced subsistence agriculture, Br. seized the tin mines Dependency Theory

1920s a nationalist movement began- the Nigerian National Democratic Party 1929 Nigeria affected by the Great Depression 1930s Nigerian Youth Movement first call for self government by the educated elite After W.W.II Independence Movement led by Nnamdi Azikiwe, workers form unions British set up regional assemblies in 3 states, political parties form around ethnicity Independence Oct. 1, 1960 First Republic National Gov.: Parliamentary with a Prime Minister (Balewa), H-F dominated, President Azikiwe is head of state, Federal System, Importance of census Coinciding Cleavages and distribution of favors

Military Rule
1965 parliamentary elections, H-F dominated, Balewa Pr. Min. Jan.1966 General Ironsi (I) unitary system July 1966 1975 Gen. Gowon, a Christian from the north 1967 1970 Civil War Igbos try to secede and form Biafra in dispute over oil revenues Reconciliation Efforts, 12 states Oil Revenues, corruption, prebendalism

1975 76 General Muhammed (H-F) takes over to crack down on corruption and is assassinated 1976 79 Muhammeds chief of staff becomes the leader, General Obasanjo (Y) Constitutional Assembly to return to civilian rule, 19 states, President elected by majority and must receive at least 25% of the vote in 12 of the 19 states Import Substitute Industrialization, high gov. spending, subsidized gasoline prices

Second Republic - 1979 1983 President Shagari leads a U.S. style government, corruption, oil prices fall, austerity measures, election fraud Military Rule 1984 85 General Buhari (H-F) War Against Indiscipline, ended civil liberties. Inflation, unemployment, and foreign debt rise 1985 93 General Babangida (MB) National Orientation Movement, federal character, Nigerian Youth Service Corps, IMF loans, SAP austerity program, move towards a capitalist economy, ECOWAS, freedom of the press

1992 Babangida writes a new constitution with the Armed Forces Ruling Council, 30 states, presidential-congressional system, creates two political parties: Social Democrats and National Republican Convention Third Republic Elections 1993 winner Abiola, (Y) Christian Babangida annuls election, protests occur, Abiola jailed, NADECO forms Babangida resigns and appoints Ernest Shonekan (a civilian) as a caretaker president

1993 Gen. Sani Abacha (H-F) harsh rule, corruption, bureaucrats = lootocrats environmental destruction from oil drilling (Royal Dutch Shell), MOSOP Ogoni leader was Ken Sarowiwa Abiolas supporters protest, Abiola is killed in prison, NADECO gets stronger Abacha dies 1998, replaced by Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (H-F) who organizes elections for 1999

Olsegun Obasanjo
President 1999 2007 (Y)

The Fourth Republic

1999 2007 Pres. Olusegun Obasanjo, V.P. Atiku Abubakar Government: Federal 36 states Executive President elected by the people must win a majority in at least 2/3rds of the states, 4 year term, limit 2, Vice President, Cabinet, large bureaucracy

Legislature = National Assembly House of Rep. representation based on population, 360 single member districts, elected by the people by plurality, 4 year terms Senate 3 per state and 1 from the federal district elected by the people, 4 year terms Judiciary Supreme Court(15), Constitutional Court, and Federal Court of Appeals, national district courts judges appointed by Pres., approved by Senate, state and local courts exist plus Shariah courts in 12 northern states

Obasanjo administration
Peace and Reconciliation Commission National Debt little IMF help Dispute with legislature over budget, impeachment and settlement Paris Club 20 nations who try to help alleviate poverty arranged for debt forgiveness of 2/3rds of Nigerias foreign debt in 2005

Miss World Pageant Worked to end corruption, but owed too many favors Established the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, searching for money stolen by Abacha Tried to raise the price of gas (fuel is heavily subsidized) protests and strikes NEPAD New Partnership for Africas Development (begun with So. Africa) MEND protests Disputed amendment proposal for a 3rd term

How the Government Works (or Doesnt)

Patrimonialism a method governing in which authority is maintained through patronage A single ruler treats the state as his personal property and relies on those he appoints to office to provide unswerving loyalty. Loyalty pyramids State officials exercise wide authority in many areas (especially the economy) for their own benefit and the benefit of the ruler

President gathers and disperses the public revenues even though the National Assembly passes the budget. Rents, Rent- seekers Prebends state offices,Prebendalism Chop-Chop Politics Corruption through granting contracts, licenses, tax evasion, making investments, embezzlement Politics is a zero-sum game Extractive Politics Parastatals N.N.P.C. joint venture with multinational corporations Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil, Total, Chevron

Corporatism NACCIMA National Assoc. of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture Nigerian Labor Congress CAN Christian Association of Nigeria Islamic League State Corporatism through parastatals The Big Men the elites from the military, politics, bureaucracy, states governors, religious leaders

Political Culture
Acceptance of hierarchical relationships Cynicism about government Coinciding cleavages Rural areas traditional elites remain strong, high illiteracy rate, believe that democracy = chaos, distant from national gov., follow local leaders advice No concept of a social contract between the national government and the citizens

Urbanites highly politicized, angry with gov. People rely on gov. to provide for them. If you are successful, your are expected to help out your village. If you owe your village, you owe your family even more. Nepotism, corruption, leaders expect deference and bribes Elites (Big Men) need a steady flow of gov. money to maintain their status, so gov. policy revolves around the needs of the elites more than the needs of the country.

Political Parties
Peoples Democratic Party supported Obasanjo, YarAdua, and Jonathan northern, but also gains some support from Yorubas All Nigerian Peoples Party northeastern, Middle Belt, Igbos Alliance for Democracy Yoruba Form around Big Men so names change Elections: Independent National Electoral Commission determines which parties can run (based on criteria) and counts ballots

Civil Society
Independent Interest groups: NADECO, some labor unions (National Labor Congress), professional organizations, Kaduna Mafia, MEND, MOSOP, CAN and the Islamic Conference Free Press though many tv and radio stations are gov. controlled Independent universities Protests, Strikes do occur

Problems
Legacy of Military Rule Environmental degradation Youth bulge Social Indiscipline, Corruption (CPI 130/180) Poverty more than 40% live on less than $1 a day, GINI index 43.7 Inflation 11.5%, Unemployment 30% (2007 est.) Health HIV/AIDS, Polio, lack of clean water

Transit point for heroin and cocaine trafficking from Afghanistan to U.S., Europe, and East Asia Illiteracy Gov. must import gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, and food Religious division violence The National Question Rentier State Status Distributional Politics Debt Lack of foreign investment (indigenization decree, then allowing 50% foreign control, corruption)

Political Legitimacy
Where does political legitimacy in Nigeria come from? Does it come from A history of stable and successful governments (as in the UK)? A long held sense of national identity (as in the US)? A protection of individual liberty and representative government (as in the US)? An ideology and the improvement of the standard of living (as in China)?

Charismatic leadership? The success of government-led economic development? A history of pragmatic good governance? Successful political integration of all citizens? The operation of the rule of law? Honesty in government and governance? Government responsiveness to the demands of citizens?

How is Nigerias political system able to function?

Executive Dominance Few people have been involved in governing People feel powerless to influence the system Enough people benefit from the system through patron client politics Identity politics and federalism Oil revenues Independent electoral commissions Civil Society - local, ethnic, and national groups

MEND

Umaru YarAdua
President 2007 -2010(H-F)

Election of 2007
Atiku Abubaker Obasanjos Vice President, disqualified by the Independent Nigerian Election Commission just before the election (Action Congress Party) Umaru YarAdua supported by Obasanjo (Peoples Democratic Party) Muhammadu Buhari ( All Nigerian Peoples Party) Disputed election results, PDP controls both houses of the legislature and the presidency

Political Crisis
Umaru Yar Adua died Vice President Goodluck Jonathan becomes President Concern that the military would take over again Since 2007 more violence (religious and MEND), environmental destruction, continued reliance on oil money, corruption, protests

President Goodluck Jonathan

2011 Election
Political Parties Peoples Democratic Party Jonathan Y Christian Action Congress of Nigeria Ribadu MB Muslim Congress for Progressive Change Buhari- H-F Muslim All Nigeria Peoples Party Shekarau H-F Muslim, Gov. of Kano