nigeria standards 2-4

single-member districts

An electoral district in which voters choose one representative or official.

first past the post (FPTP)

An electoral system where the person with the most number of votes is elected.

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)

The state-run oil company in Nigeria

All Progressives Congress (APC)

Opposition political party in Nigeria formed in 2013 by merger of largest opposition parties and defections from the ruling People's Democratic Party

How have global economic and technological forces influenced political policies, behavior and culture in Nigeria?

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rentier state

A country that obtains much of its revenue from the export of oil or other natural resources.

Republic of Biafran/Biafran War

A partially recognised secessionist state in West Africa that declared independence from Nigeria and existed from 1967 until 1970. Biafra represented the nationalist aspirations of the Igbo ethnic group. The war resulted from political, economic, ethnic, cultural and religious tensions which preceded the United Kingdom's formal decolonization of Nigeria.

What is the "resource curse" and how does it play a role in Nigeria?

Abundance of resources often means a country is more poor and more exploited than those without. This is also true of nigeria

OPEC

An organization of countries formed to agree on a common policy for the production and sale of petroleum. Organization of Petrolium Exporting Companies

Identify separatist movements that impact the stability and legitimacy of Nigeria's government.

Biafra, Niger Delta Republic

How have movements like MEND and MOSOP affected political change in Nigeria?

Civil societies like these catch attention from the public and, in theory, can drive governmental change

How has Nigeria's colonial history impacted relations between factions within Nigeria?

Colonialism is reflected in the structure and priorities of government, forced hundreds of ethnic groups into one government.

How does competition between Nigeria's many political parties affect representation and political participation?

Competition has encouraged the practice of zoning, which seeks to incorporate more voices in government in the hopes of receiving more votes. Still, smaller ethnic groups do not get a voice due to FPTP system.

patronage

Dispensing state resources in exchange for political support (within a party)

How has Nigeria managed control of natural resources?

Distribution Formula: how oil revenue is distributed across the states. In Nigeria, oil has accounted for a lot of growth. It it nationalized and controlled by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation but works with multinational companies like Shell. Oil production has led to significant environmental damage, violence and theft

structural adjustment program

Economic policies imposed on LDCs by international agencies to create conditions encouraging international trade, such as raising taxes, reducing government spending, controlling inflation, selling publicly owned utilities to private corporations, and charging citizens more for services. Basically a program imposed on a country to improve the economy

Yoruba

Ethnic group largely confined to southwest Nigeria whose members are divided among Christian, Muslim, and local animist faiths.

How are ethnic quotas used in the federal legislature?

Ethnic quotas mandate some number of government reps must be from smaller ethnic groups. eg, Federal Character Principle mandates all states are represented in the cabinet

What political and social cleavages are found in Nigeria and how do those cleaves affect voting behavior, legitimacy and stability in Nigeria?

Ethnic, religious, and regional cleavages. Reflect in zoning, conflict, etc.

kleptocracy

Government by theft

What is the purpose of the INEC? Has it been effective?

INEC the electoral body which oversees elections in Nigeria, hoping to reduce fraud and corruption. Not super successful

How have ethnic divisions between the 250 ethnic groups (like Igbo, Hausa-Fulani, and Yoruba) and religious divisions between Christians and Muslims affected Nigeria?

Massive conflict within Nigerian government and socially, made decisions differently as there is no one solution that can make everyone happy.

What effects have economic liberalization policies had on the environment in Nigeria?

Massive pollution and degredation

corruption

Misuse of public office for personal gain

How has membership in supranational organizations like ECOWAS and WTO impacted the sovereignty of Nigeria?

Movements like this pressure the state in some regards, but are often just crushed into silence.

What is the role of civil society in Nigeria and are there limits on it?

Nigeria has a rich and vibrant history of organizations: ethnic, religious, professional; encourages democratization. Free and active media sector. Many groups who use violent tactics or intervene with profitable industries are cracked down on by the state.

Igbo

Nigeria's third largest group who are mostly Christian. They are located in the southeast part of Nigeria. This group has many conflicts with the Yoruba and at one point they tried to become a independent nation.

What factors have affected political culture in Nigeria?

Poverty, ethnic and religious divides, history of corruption/Patrimonialism, regions

What is a rentier state? What are the advantages and disadvantages for Nigeria of being a rentier state?

Rentier states make most of their money from selling their natural resources to foreign companies. This is generally bad for the country, especially in Nigeria where corruption and wealth inequality are already high.

Distribution requirement

Rules specifying how a winning candidate's votes must be arranged across different regions or social groups. In nigeria: must win at least 25% of votes in 2/3rds of the states

Describe Nigeria's party system

Two major parties are the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress, both of which have held the presidency and seats in the National Assembly for extended periods of time. Still considered multi-party due to major presence of other parties.

Boko Haram

a Nigerian militant Islamist group that seeks the imposition of Shariah law throughout all 36 states of Nigeria

National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategies (NEEDS)

a holistic reform agenda designed to lay a solid foundation for sustainable wealth creation, poverty reduction, employment generation and valued re-orientation.

Movement for the Survival of the Ogani People

a non-violent group that disrupted oil production, forced Shell to curtail its operations and fought against unfair revenue sharing.

resource curse

abundant natural resources, such as oil, often bring unforeseen ailments to countries.

multinational corporations (MNCs)

companies based in one country with operations in one or more other countries; the primary driving forces of globalization

supranational organization

countries join and give some sovereignty over to the the organization (ex. EU)

intergovernmental organization

countries that voluntarily collaborate (United Nations)

Movement to Emancipate the Niger Delta (MEND)

decentralized militant groups that sabotage oil production

African Union (AU)

intergovernmental: supports free trade and cooperation between African countries

multiparty vs. two-party system

multiparty: multiple parties exist and have some change of winning office. two-party: two parties exist and fight for power

People's Democratic Party (PDP)

one of the three major contemporary political parties in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the centre-right

World Trade Organization

sets trade policy and mediates disputes.

clientelism

state provides specific benefits in exchange for political support

bunkering

stealing oil

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

supranational: seeks to promote trade with west Africa, contributes peacekeeping and enforces rule of law and African Union

Independent National Election Commission (INEC)

the electoral body set up in 1998 to oversee elections in Nigeria.

prebendalism

the form of patron-client politics that legitimizes the exploitation of government power for the benefit of office holders and their followers. term created to describe Nigeria, idea that public offices are sources of resources to be distributed to supporters.

Hausa-Fulani

the largest ethnic group that lives in northern Muslim Nigeria.

coinciding cleavages

when every dispute aligns the same groups against each other, this type of cleavage is likely to be explosive (eg. ethnicity and religion)