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