Nigeria 11.2

7. As in many multiethnic countries, religious and ethnic tensions are prominent in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. (a) Describe federalism in Nigeria. (b) Explain one way Nigeria's federal structure accommodates different religious groups AND one way the federal structure accommodates different ethnic groups. (c) Identify the type of electoral system used in Nigeria. (d) Explain two ways the Nigerian electoral system accommodates different ethnic groups. (e) Explain why Nigeria's federal structure has been unable to resolve tensions in the Niger River delta

(A)ethnic or religious divisions (B)Choice of Shari'a law in some states------Federal Character, which guarantees representation of ethnicity since states are ethno-political divisions (C) first past the post (D)Broad electoral support for presidential candidates through minimum thresholds across states and/or regions • Broad electoral support for presidential candidates through presidential majority electoral system • Broad party support across states, regions or both • Requirement of three senators from each state • Demarcation of voting districts to allow for ethnic representation in lower house (E)system. • Oil wealth and resources are centralized, not federal; lack of local control. • Corruption at the central and local level (police and security) is beyond control of the federal

explain why Nigeria's setup of The National Assembly departs from the U.S model. What is the U.S solution?

Nigeria's states get 10 seats regardless of population. Nigeria feels it must to this to appease the small ethnic groups with their own state. Over representing the smaller states, however, creates resentment in more populous states because it leaves them under represented. The U.S solution is 1) a Senate to represent states on the basis of equality 2) a house to represent the districts on the basis of population

Which party in Nigeria is considered a dominant party

PDP

party bills itself as a centrist party representing all Nigerians but is perceived as a basically Christian party, strongest in the south

PDP (people's democratic party)

Britain set up Nigeria on the Westminster model, with a______ as a chief of government.

PM

Why did Nigeria change from the British Westminster system (2) to the U.S style presidential system?

The British system depends on 1 party winning a majority of seats in the House of Commons ( most of the time it always happens in Britain) however if the legislature fragmented into many parties (like Nigeria) the government must form a multiparty coalition and can "fall" easily on votes of no confidence. The U.S presidential system avoided all of this, the President can govern with or without the legislature and can stay until their end terms and cannot be ousted. Like Nigeria, the U.S president combines the head of state with chief of government for a maximum two four year term.

Nigeria is now a ____ system

U.S style presidential

T/F in order to create a better unified nation, Nigeria has reduced the number of states

false

T/F Nigeria has a unicameral legislature

false

system that is to hard to represent ethnic groups ?

hyperfederalism

T/F Nigeria has evolved into a 2 plus party system and now perhaps a dominant party system

true

T/F Nigeria's president combines head of state with chief of government for a maximum two four year term

true

T/F the military dictator, Ibrahim Babangida, moved the capital from Lagos to Abuja in the center of the country

true

T/F just like the U.S, Nigeria has equal representation in the senate for each state and proportional representation for the house

true

The Senate has 109 seats with each ____ getting ____ senators

with each state getting 3 senators

The National Assembly is?

Bicameral

describe federalism in Nigeria. Why do most Nigerians feel that Nigerian federalism is less than genuine?

1) Nigerian federalism resembles the U.S variety but it very dysfunctional. 2) Every few years, the map of Nigeria is redrawn in order to calm many of Nigeria's ethnic groups, such as the Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and the Igbo who often fell trapped in a state dominated by other groups. 3) Nigerians feel that the federalism is less than genuine in Nigeria, because Abuja still controls the oil revenues and dispenses them to State governors in order to keep them in line.

the house of representatives has 360 seats, ___ for each state, each representing a ____-member district

10 for each state single-member district

both houses in Nigeria are elected for a ?

2 four year term at the same time

a Yoruba party

ACN (The Action Congress of Nigeria)

small party in Nigeria that has strong followers of Northern Muslims

CPC (congress of progressive change)

____ and ___ joined together to create the APC

CPC (congress of progressive change) and ACN ( the action congress in Nigeria)

1st president of Nigeria Fourth Republic? Why did he leave office?

Obasanjo tried to change the constitution in order to have a 3rd term as parliament was suspicious of his motives and blocked the effort