Government · Lesson 13

The First Republic, military rule and later republics

JAMBWAECNECO

What the syllabus asks

JAMB: Post-independence constitutions (1963, 1979, 1989, 1999); institutions of government in post-independence Nigeria; parties and party politics in the First, Second, Third and Fourth Republics; the military in Nigerian politics

WAEC: Constitutional developments since independence: 1963, 1979, 1989, 1999 constitutions; military rule: reasons for intervention, features, achievements, failures; political crises; transition programmes

NECO: Constitutional developments since independence: 1963, 1979, 1989, 1999 constitutions; military rule: reasons for intervention, features, achievements, failures; political crises; transition programmes

What you will learn

State the main features of the 1963, 1979, 1989 and 1999 Constitutions.
Explain the crises of the First Republic.
Explain the reasons for military intervention and the features of military rule in Nigeria.
Outline Nigeria’s military regimes and their transition programmes.
Evaluate the achievements and failures of military rule.
Describe party politics and institutions in the Second, Third and Fourth Republics.

Key points

1963: republic (1 October); ceremonial President Azikiwe; Prime Minister Balewa; Supreme Court final; Mid-West created.
First Republic crises: 1962 Western emergency, census disputes, 1964 election (NNA v UPGA), 1965 Western election violence.
15 January 1966 coup; Ironsi; Decree No. 34 (24 May 1966) abolished federation; 29 July 1966 counter-coup; Gowon.
12 states (27 May 1967); Biafra declared 30 May 1967; civil war July 1967–January 1970.
Military heads: Ironsi, Gowon, Murtala, Obasanjo, Buhari, Babangida, (Shonekan ING, civilian), Abacha, Abubakar.
Reasons for coups: corruption, electoral malpractice, disorder, ethnic rivalry, economic crisis, ambition, contagion.
Features of military rule: decrees and edicts, suspended constitution, fusion of powers, ban on parties, restricted rights.
1979: CDC (Williams), Constituent Assembly (Udoma); executive presidency; 19 states; federal character; Code of Conduct; Shagari; ended 31 December 1983.
1989: SDP and NRC; 12 June 1993 election (Abiola v Tofa) annulled; never fully in force.
1999: Decree No. 24; in force 29 May 1999; 36 states + FCT; 774 LGAs; Fourth Republic presidents Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan, Buhari, Tinubu.

Start here: The 1963 Republican Constitution

Nigeria had won independence in 1960, but the British monarch was still head of state and appeals still went to London. The 1963 Constitution changed both.

Main features

Republic: from 1 October 1963, a Nigerian President replaced the British monarch as head of state. Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe became the first President. He was elected by Parliament.
Parliamentary system retained: the President was ceremonial; executive power remained with the Prime Minister (Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa) and the Council of Ministers.
Supreme Court of Nigeria became the final court of appeal; appeals to the Privy Council ended.
Federal structure of four regions: Northern, Eastern, Western and the Mid-Western Region (created in 1963 from the Western Region), each with its own constitution.
Bicameral legislature: Senate and House of Representatives.
Fundamental rights entrenched.
Enacted by the Nigerian Parliament: often called the first "autochthonous" (home-grown) constitution.

Merits

Full sovereignty: Nigerian head of state and final court.
Home-made constitution.

Demerits

Dual executive caused tension between President and Prime Minister, seen in the 1964–65 election crisis.
Imbalance: the Northern Region remained larger than all the others combined.
Powerful regions encouraged regional politics.

Worked example 13.1

Explain why the 1963 Constitution is called "republican" but not "presidential".

Republican: head of state is an elected Nigerian, not a monarch.
Not presidential: the President had only ceremonial powers; the Prime Minister and cabinet, responsible to Parliament, governed. That is still a parliamentary system.

Republican in form; parliamentary in system

Try it yourself. Which region was created in 1963?

Show solution

The Mid-Western Region.

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Practice questions

1. Nigeria became a republic on

1 October 1963
1 October 1960
15 January 1966
29 May 1999

Show answer

A: 1 October 1963
Azikiwe became ceremonial President.

2. The Mid-Western Region was created in

1967
1960
1976
1963

Show answer

D: 1963
The fourth region.

3. The first military coup in Nigeria took place on

1 October 1963
31 December 1983
15 January 1966
29 July 1966

Show answer

C: 15 January 1966
Ironsi emerged as head of state.

4. Decree No. 34 of 1966

introduced the presidential system
abolished the federal system
created 12 states
ended the civil war

Show answer

B: abolished the federal system
Unification Decree, 24 May 1966.

5. Twelve states were created on

27 May 1967
1 April 1976
30 May 1967
27 August 1991

Show answer

A: 27 May 1967
By Gowon.

Key words

Republic: A state whose head of state is not a hereditary monarch.
Coup d’état: A sudden, illegal seizure of government power, usually by the military.
Counter-coup: A coup against a regime that itself came to power by coup.
Decree: A law made by a federal military government.
Supreme Military Council: The highest ruling body of some military regimes (e.g. under Gowon, Murtala/Obasanjo, Buhari).
Armed Forces Ruling Council: The highest ruling body under Babangida.
Provisional Ruling Council: The highest ruling body under Abacha and Abubakar.
Transition programme: A timetable by which a military regime prepares to hand over to civilians.
Annulment: Cancellation of something as if it never had legal effect, e.g. the 12 June 1993 election.
Interim National Government: The short-lived government led by Ernest Shonekan in 1993.
Federal character: The principle that appointments should reflect the diversity of the federation.
Code of Conduct: Rules of behaviour for public officers, including asset declaration.

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