Constitution of

Nigeria

The Constitution of Nigeria is the written

supreme law of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria.[1][2] Nigeria has had many
constitutions. Its current form was
enacted on 29 May 1999 and inaugurated
the Fourth Nigerian Republic.[3]
Nigeria Constitution of
Nigeria
constitution

Nigeria's structure
and composition are
a legacy of British Coat of arms of
colonial rule.[4] It Nigeria
has over 374 Overview
multilingual groups
Jurisdiction
with different Nigeria
cultures and
Ratified 1999
traditions.[5] This
Date effective 1999
diversity contributes
System Federal
to Nigeria being
Presidential
"one of the world's
most deeply divided Constitutiona
countries" with Republic

rampant political Government

corruption.[6][7] As a structure

result, Nigeria has Branches 3

undergone many Chambers Senate an
attempts to form an House of
effective Represent
constitution. These Executive President
efforts include Judiciary Supreme
civilian and military Court
rule, centrifugal and
Federalism Federal
centralized Republic
federalism, of
presidential and Nigeria
parliamentary
systems, and other History
political Amendments 2
institutions.[7]
Last January
amended 2011
An Order in Council
enacted Nigeria's Supersedes 1993
Constitu
first constitutions
of Niger
during the colonial
era when the Full text

country was Constitution of

administered as a Nigeria at
Wikisource
Crown Colony.
These constitutions
include the Clifford Constitution of 1922,
the Richards Constitution of 1946, the
Macpherson Constitution of 1951, and the
Lyttleton Constitution of 1954.[8][6][9]

Richards constitution

Westminster approved a new constitution

for Nigeria in 1946.[10] It was called the
Richards Constitution after Governor-
General Sir Arthur Richards, who was
responsible for its formulation. Although it
left effective power in the hands of the
Governor-General and his appointed
Executive Council, it also established an
expanded Legislative Council empowered
to deliberate on matters affecting the
country. It also created three regional
Houses of Assembly to consider local
questions and advise the lieutenant
governors.

The Richards Constitution recognized the

country's diversity by introducing the
federal principle with its regional authority.
Although realistic in its assessment of the
situation in Nigeria, the Richards
Constitution intensified regionalism
instead of encouraging political
unification. It was suspended in 1950
against a call for greater autonomy.
Macpherson constitution

An inter-parliamentary conference at
Ibadan in 1950 drafted a new constitution.
It was dubbed the Macpherson
Constitution after the incumbent Governor-
General John Stuart Macpherson. It went
into effect the following year, in 1951.[11]

The Macpherson Constitution provided for

regional autonomy and federal union,
creating a central government with a
Council of Ministers. This encouraged
political participation and party activity at
the national level. However, the regional
governments had broad legislative powers
that could not be overridden by the newly
established 185-seat federal House of
Representatives. As a result, the
Macpherson Constitution significantly
boosted regionalism.

Lyttleton constitution

The next revision of the constitution was

called the Lyttleton Constitution after
Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos. It
was enacted in 1954 and firmly
established the federal principle. This
paved the way for Nigeria's independence
from Great Britain.
1960 independence constitution

A British Order-in-Council enacted Nigeria's

first constitution as a sovereign state. It
came into force upon the country's
independence on 1 October 1960. Under
this constitution, Nigeria retained Queen
Elizabeth II as titular head of state, Queen
of Nigeria. Nnamdi Azikiwe represented
the queen as Governor-General.[12]

1963 constitution

Independent Nigeria's second constitution

abolished the monarchy and established
the First Nigerian Republic.[13] It came into
force on 1 October 1963, the third
anniversary of Nigeria's independence.
Nnamdi Azikiwe became the first
President of Nigeria. The 1963
constitution was based on the
Westminster system. It was used until a
military coup in 1966 that overthrew
Nigeria's democratic institutions.[14]

1979 constitution

The 1979 constitution established the

Second Nigerian Republic. It abandoned
the Westminster system in favour of a
United States-style presidential system
with direct elections.[15] To avoid the
pitfalls of the First Nigerian Republic, the
1979 constitution mandated political
parties which were required to register in
at least two-thirds of the states.[14] In
addition, it established a Cabinet of
Nigeria, with each state having at least one
member.[14] This gave a "federal character"
to the nation.[14]

1993 constitution

The 1993 constitution established the

Third Nigerian Republic. This constitution
was supposed to return democratic rule to
Nigeria but it was never fully implemented.
The military controlled the country until
1999.[16][17]

Constitution of the Federal

Republic of Nigeria

The 1999 constitution created the Fourth

Nigerian Republic, a federation with
democratic rule.[18][19] It remains in force
today.[18]

The 1999 constitution identifies the

national capital, 36 states and their
capitals, and 774 local government areas
within Nigeria.[20][21][22][23] It establishes
the legislative, executive, and judicial
branches of government and details their
duties and the separation of powers
between the branches and federal and
state governments.[24][2] Nigeria's
legislative powers are vested in a National
Assembly with two chambers: a Senate
and a House of Representatives.[25] The
constitution gives the National Assembly
the power to make laws for "peace, order
and good government of the Federation".

In addition, the constitution outlines the

individual's fundamental rights, including
life, liberty, dignity, privacy, freedom of
expression, religious freedom, and security
from slavery, violence, discrimination, and
forced service in the military.[2][26] It also
defines a person's right to a timely and fair
trial if arrested and the presumption of
innocence.[26] Nigerians also have the right
to own land, a right of assembly, and
freedom of movement.[2]

The constitution also protects four laws:

the Land Use Act, the National Securities
Agencies Act, the National Youth Service
legislation, and the Public Complaints
Commission Act.[2] In January 2011,
President Goodluck Jonathan signed two
amendments to the constitution, the first
modifications since it came into use in
1999.[27]
See also

Military dictatorship in Nigeria

Nigeria – 1966–1979 and portal

1983–1999

References

1. "Constitution of the Federal Republic of

Nigeria 1999, as amended to 2018" (https://
constitutions.unwomen.org/en/countries/a
frica/nigeria) . constitutions.unwomen.org.
Retrieved 14 April 2022.
2. "14 Things Every Nigerian should know
about the Constitution" (https://lawpadi.co
m/14-things-every-nigerian-know-constituti
on/) . LawPàdí. 20 March 2021. Retrieved
14 April 2022.
3. Elaigwu, J. Isawa (17 August 2006). "The
Federal Republic of Nigeria" (http://www.for
umfed.org/libdocs/Global_Dialogue/Book_
2/BK2-C08-ng-Elaigwu-en.htm) .
www.forumfed.org. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
4. "Nigeria - Nigeria as a colony | Britannica" (h
ttps://www.britannica.com/place/Nigeria/N
igeria-as-a-colony) . www.britannica.com.
Retrieved 26 June 2022.
5. Eyene Okpanachi, Eyene and Garba, Ali.
Federalism and constitutional change in
Nigeria, 7(1) Federal Governance 3 (2010)
(https://web.archive.org/web/2020081400
4257/https://www.ssoar.info/ssoar/bitstrea
m/handle/document/34175/ssoar-fedgov-
2010-1-okpanachi_et_al-Federalism_and_co
nstitutional_change_in.pdf?sequence=1&is
Allowed=y&lnkname=ssoar-fedgov-2010-1-
okpanachi_et_al-Federalism_and_constituti
onal_change_in.pdf) . Archived from the
original (https://www.ssoar.info/ssoar/bitst
ream/handle/document/34175/ssoar-fedg
ov-2010-1-okpanachi_et_al-Federalism_and
_constitutional_change_in.pdf?sequence=1
&isAllowed=y&lnkname=ssoar-fedgov-2010
-1-okpanachi_et_al-Federalism_and_constit
 utional_change_in.pdf) on 14 August 2020.
Retrieved 28 March 2022.
6. Suberu, Rotimi (2019). "Nigeria's Permanent
Constitutional Transition: Military Rule,
Civilian Instability and "True Federalism" in
a Deeply Divided Society" (https://web.archi
ve.org/web/20220310153614/https://const
itutionnet.org/sites/default/files/2019-06/
Nigeria_35.pdf) (PDF). Occasional Papers
Series. Forum of Federations: 3–4.
eISSN 1922-5598 (https://www.worldcat.or
g/issn/1922-5598) . ISSN 1922-558X (http
s://www.worldcat.org/issn/1922-558X) .
Archived from the original (https://constitut
ionnet.org/sites/default/files/2019-06/Nige
ria_35.pdf) (PDF) on 10 March 2022.
7. Yusuf, Olakunle (3 July 2022). "Nigerian
federalism: Fruitful or futile?" (https://punch
ng.com/nigerian-federalism-fruitful-or-futil
e/) . Punch. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
8. Nigeria (Constitution) Order in Council,
1954, Statutory Instrument 1954 No. 1146
(1954) (https://web.archive.org/web/20220
330014135/https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google
usercontent.com%2Fbooks%2Fcontent%3F
req%3DAKW5Qaf3VBqQKHHNaMncZtitWD
97WUMLFfoCO8PZmNpbsXDSImr337FqslP
LEDkHrEog6zsThHCmD1l1WqZUm8nFHsM
1_pGkPAGkvVBfhnLJBXuv75XmtizjL6iwTzY
REUzqd5TEmt9nm2_5LWgKukISodjZ_RTDcI
eRWVmcpdAeZ2hKnT8P1Vx64g8znQPEsV
KdEFZr1NqeNzi8ncrpjS1RRCFIisLruxs4tYfP
nBxIk8bgsuvZlIXkkPOa12i93YsYPy9pziPHJ
Q6FlmnGG7pHbGuSR1EdBf_-rEMkHQNiHw
04xt0_3tM) . Archived from the original (htt
ps://books.googleusercontent.com/books/
content?req=AKW5Qaf3VBqQKHHNaMncZt
itWD97WUMLFfoCO8PZmNpbsXDSImr337
FqslPLEDkHrEog6zsThHCmD1l1WqZUm8n
FHsM1_pGkPAGkvVBfhnLJBXuv75XmtizjL6
iwTzYREUzqd5TEmt9nm2_5LWgKukISodjZ
_RTDcIeRWVmcpdAeZ2hKnT8P1Vx64g8zn
QPEsVKdEFZr1NqeNzi8ncrpjS1RRCFIisLrux
s4tYfPnBxIk8bgsuvZlIXkkPOa12i93YsYPy9
pziPHJQ6FlmnGG7pHbGuSR1EdBf_-rEMkH
QNiHw04xt0_3tM) on 30 March 2022.
Accessed 30 March 2022.
 9. Nigeria (Legislative Council) Order in
Council, The London Gazette No. 32838, p.
4505 (29 June 1922) (https://web.archive.o
rg/web/20211222062044/https%3A%2F%2
Fwww.thegazette.co.uk%2FLondon%2Fissu
e%2F32838%2Fdata.pdf) . Archived from
the original (https://www.thegazette.co.uk/
London/issue/32838/data.pdf) on 21
December 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
10. J.O, Irukwu (19 July 2014). Nigeria at 100:
What Next? (https://books.google.com/boo
ks?id=_yROBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA12) . Safari
Books Ltd. ISBN 978-978-8431-44-2.
11. "Nigeria - EMERGENCE OF NIGERIAN
NATIONALISM" (https://countrystudies.us/
nigeria/20.htm) . countrystudies.us.
Retrieved 7 June 2023.
12. Azikiwe, Nnamdi (12 May 2016). "From
Nnamdi Azikiwe" (https://kinginstitute.stanf
ord.edu/king-papers/documents/nnamdi-a
zikiwe) . The Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Research and Education Institute. Retrieved
4 July 2022.
13. "The 1963 Constitution of Nigeria" (https://
data.globalcit.eu/NationalDB/docs/1963%2
0Constitution%20of%20Nigeria.pdf) (PDF).
Global Citizenship Observatory. Retrieved
9 November 2022.
14. "National Assembly Not Serious About
Constitution Review – Lawyer" (https://ww
w.channelstv.com/2013/07/18/national-as
sembly-not-serious-about-constitution-revie
w-lawyer/amp/) . Channels Television. 18
July 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
15. "1979 Constitution of Nigeria" (https://web.
archive.org/web/20061209224747/http://w
ww.nigeriacongress.org/resources/constitu
tion/nig_const_79.pdf) (PDF). 9 December
2006. Archived from the original (http://ww
w.nigeriacongress.org/resources/constituti
on/nig_const_79.pdf) (PDF) on 9
December 2006. Retrieved 9 November
2022.
16. "Nigeria - Military regimes, 1983–99 |
Britannica" (https://www.britannica.com/pl
ace/Nigeria/Military-regimes-1983-99) .
www.britannica.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
17. "Introducing the Third Republic" (https://nig
erianscholars.com/tutorials/nigerian-party-
politics/introducing-the-third-republic/) .
Nigerian Scholars. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
18. Ogowewo, Tunde I. (2000). "Why the
Judicial Annulment of the Constitution of
1999 Is Imperative for the Survival of
Nigeria's Democracy" (https://www.jstor.or
g/stable/1587454) . Journal of African
Law. 44 (2): 135–166.
doi:10.1017/S0021855300012195 (https://
doi.org/10.1017%2FS002185530001219
5) . ISSN 0021-8553 (https://www.worldca
t.org/issn/0021-8553) . JSTOR 1587454 (ht
tps://www.jstor.org/stable/1587454) .
S2CID 145120828 (https://api.semanticsch
olar.org/CorpusID:145120828) .
19. Nigeria Const. § 2.
20. Nigeria Const. § 3(6).
21. Nigeria Const. § 3(4).
22. Nigeria Const. § 3(1).
23. Nigeria Const. § 3(3).
24. Elaigwu, J. Isawa (17 August 2006). "The
Federal Republic of Nigeria" (http://www.for
umfed.org/libdocs/Global_Dialogue/Book_
2/BK2-C08-ng-Elaigwu-en.htm) .
www.formed.org. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
25. Nigeria Const. § 4(1).
26. "CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL
REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA 1999" (https://wipol
ex.wipo.int/en/text/179202) .
wipolex.wipo.int. Retrieved 9 November
2022.
 27. Shekau, Abubakar (1 July 2018), "Message
to Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan"
(https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/97801909
08300.003.0033) , The Boko Haram Reader,
Oxford University Press, pp. 245–248,
doi:10.1093/oso/9780190908300.003.003
3 (https://doi.org/10.1093%2Foso%2F9780
190908300.003.0033) , ISBN 978-0-19-
090830-0, retrieved 8 July 2022

External links

Retrieved from Wikisource

"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/ind has original
text related
ex.php?
to this
title=Constitution_of_Nigeria& article:
oldid=1190147568" Constitution
of Nigeria
This page was last edited on 16 December 2023,
at 05:53 (UTC). •
Content is available under CC BY-SA 4.0 unless
otherwise noted.