Constitution of Nigeria

Nigeria

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The Constitution of Nigeria is the supreme law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Nigeria has had a series of constitutions. The current constitution was enacted on 29 May 1999, inaugurating the Nigerian Fourth Republic.

Past constitutions

Colonial era (1914–1960)

Nigeria's first constitutions were enacted by order in council during the colonial era, when the country was governed as part of the British Empire. The constitutions enacted during this period were those of 1913 (which came into effect on 1 January 1914), 1922, 1946, 1951 (the Macpherson constitution), and 1954 (the Lyttelton constitution).

Independence constitution (1960)

Nigeria's first constitution as a sovereign state was enacted by a British order in council so as to come into force immediately upon independence, on 1 October 1960. Under this constitution Nigeria was a "Commonwealth realm", i.e. a monarchy sharing its ceremonial head of state with the United Kingdom and a number of other countries such as Canada.

1963 constitution (First Republic)

Independent Nigeria's second constitution established the country as a federal republic. It came into force on 1 October 1963 (Nigeria's third anniversary as an independent nation). The 1963 constitution, which was based on the Westminster system, continued in operation until a military coup in 1966 overthrew Nigeria's democratic institutions.

1979 constitution (Second Republic)

The 1979 constitution, which brought in the Second Republic, abandoned the Westminster system in favour of an American-style presidential system, with a directly-elected executive. To avoid the pitfalls of the First Republic, the constitution mandated that political parties and cabinet positions reflect the "federal character" of the nation: political parties were required to be registered in at least two-thirds of the states, and each state had to have at least one member of the cabinet from it.

The 1979 constitution was overthrown by a military coup on the last day of 1983.

The constitution was co-authored by Billy Dudley.

1993 constitution (Third Republic)

The 1993 constitution was intended to see the return of democratic rule to Nigeria with the establishment of a Third Republic, but was never fully implemented, and the military resumed power until 1999.

1999 constitution (Fourth Republic)

The 1999 constitution restored democratic rule to Nigeria, and remains in force today.

In January 2011, two amendments of the 1999 constitution were signed by President Goodluck Jonathan, the first modifications since the document came into use in 1999.

See also

• Nigerian military juntas of 1966–1979 and 1983–1998

External links

• Text of 1979 constitution (via the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)