Nigerian Fourth Republic
Encyclopedia
The Fourth Republic is the republican
government of Nigeria
. Since 1999 it has governed the country according to the fourth republican constitution
. It was in many ways a revival of the Second Republic
, which was in place between 1979 and 1983 and suffers many of the same problems, such as multiple ministries which made policy planning difficult. Nigeria adopted the constitution of the Fourth Republic on May 29, 1999.
and de facto ruler of Nigeria, General Sani Abacha
in 1998, his successor General Abdusalami Abubakar initiated the transition which heralded Nigeria's return to democratic rule in 1999. The ban on political activities was lifted, and political prisoners were released from detention facilities. The constitution was styled after the ill fated Second Republic
— which saw the Westminster system
of government jettisoned for an American
Presidential system
. Political parties were formed (People's Democratic Party
(PDP), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and Alliance for Democracy
(AD)), and elections were set for April 1999. In the widely monitored 1999 election, former military ruler Olusegun Obasanjo was elected on the PDP platform. On 29 May 1999, Obasanjo was sworn in as President and Commander-in-Chief
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
.
In the controversial general election
on 21 April 2007, Umaru Yar'Adua of the PDP was elected President.
Following the death of Umaru Yar'Adua on 5 May, 2010, Goodluck Jonathan
became the third president of the 4th Republic.
Republicanism
Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context...
government of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. Since 1999 it has governed the country according to the fourth republican constitution
Constitution of Nigeria
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.-Colonial era :...
. It was in many ways a revival of the Second Republic
Nigerian Second Republic
The Second Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983 governed by the second republican constitution.- Founding :...
, which was in place between 1979 and 1983 and suffers many of the same problems, such as multiple ministries which made policy planning difficult. Nigeria adopted the constitution of the Fourth Republic on May 29, 1999.
Founding (1999)
Following the death of military dictatorDictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
and de facto ruler of Nigeria, General Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
in 1998, his successor General Abdusalami Abubakar initiated the transition which heralded Nigeria's return to democratic rule in 1999. The ban on political activities was lifted, and political prisoners were released from detention facilities. The constitution was styled after the ill fated Second Republic
Nigerian Second Republic
The Second Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983 governed by the second republican constitution.- Founding :...
— which saw the Westminster system
Westminster System
The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary system of government modelled after the politics of the United Kingdom. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
of government jettisoned for an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Presidential system
Presidential system
A presidential system is a system of government where an executive branch exists and presides separately from the legislature, to which it is not responsible and which cannot, in normal circumstances, dismiss it....
. Political parties were formed (People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and Alliance for Democracy
Alliance for Democracy (Nigeria)
The Alliance for Democracy was a progressive opposition political party in Nigeria. It was formed on September 9th 1998. At the 2003 legislative elections, 12 April 2003, the party won 8.8 % of the popular vote and 34 out of 360 seats in the Nigerian House of Representatives and six out of...
(AD)), and elections were set for April 1999. In the widely monitored 1999 election, former military ruler Olusegun Obasanjo was elected on the PDP platform. On 29 May 1999, Obasanjo was sworn in as President and Commander-in-Chief
President of Nigeria
The President of Nigeria is the Head of State and head of the national executive. Officially styled President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The current President of Nigeria is Goodluck Jonathan.-History:On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained...
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
In the controversial general election
Nigerian general election, 2007
The Nigerian general elections of 2007 were held on 14 April and 21 April 2007. Governorship and state assembly elections were held on 14 April, while the presidential and national assembly elections were held a week later on 21 April. Umaru Yar'Adua won the highly controversial election for the...
on 21 April 2007, Umaru Yar'Adua of the PDP was elected President.
Following the death of Umaru Yar'Adua on 5 May, 2010, Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR, BNER, GCON is the 14th Head of State and current President of Nigeria.He was Governor of Bayelsa State from 9 December 2005 to 28 May 2007, and was sworn in as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 29 May 2007. Jonathan is a member of the...
became the third president of the 4th Republic.
Presidents
| President | Term | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Olusegun Obasanjo | 29 May 1999 – 29 May 2007 | PDP People's Democratic Party (Nigeria) The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In... |
| Umaru Yar'Adua | 29 May 2007 – 5 May 2010 | PDP People's Democratic Party (Nigeria) The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In... |
| Goodluck Jonathan Goodluck Jonathan Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR, BNER, GCON is the 14th Head of State and current President of Nigeria.He was Governor of Bayelsa State from 9 December 2005 to 28 May 2007, and was sworn in as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 29 May 2007. Jonathan is a member of the... |
6 May 2010 – Incumbent | PDP People's Democratic Party (Nigeria) The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In... |
Political parties
- Action CongressAction CongressThe Action Congress of Nigeria , formerly known as Action Congress , is a classical liberal Nigerian political party formed via the merger of the Alliance for Democracy, the Justice Party, the Advance Congress of Democrats, and several other minor political parties in September 2006. The party...
(AC) - Alliance for DemocracyAlliance for Democracy (Nigeria)The Alliance for Democracy was a progressive opposition political party in Nigeria. It was formed on September 9th 1998. At the 2003 legislative elections, 12 April 2003, the party won 8.8 % of the popular vote and 34 out of 360 seats in the Nigerian House of Representatives and six out of...
(AD) - All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP)
- All People's Party (APP)
- All Progressives Grand AllianceAll Progressives Grand AllianceThe All Progressives Grand Alliance is a political party in Nigeria. At the last legislative elections, 12 April 2003, the party won 1.4 % of popular votes and 2 of 360 seats in the House of Representatives of Nigeria and no seats in the Senate...
(APGA) - Congress for Progressive ChangeCongress for Progressive ChangeThe Congress for Progressive Change is a political party founded in Nigeria in 2009 in preparation for the April 2011 elections.It is the 63rd political party to be founded in the country and also the last political party to be registered in Nigeria....
(CPC) - Democractic people's Alliance (DPA)
- National Democratic PartyNational Democratic Party (Nigeria)The National Democratic Party is a progressive political party in Nigeria which was founded on 23 July 2001.At the last legislative elections, 12 April 2003, the party won 1.9 % of popular votes and 1 out of 360 seats in the House of Representatives and no seats in the Senate....
(NDP) - New Democrats (ND)
- People's Democratic PartyPeople's Democratic Party (Nigeria)The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP) - Progressive Peoples AllianceProgressive Peoples AllianceThe Progressive Peoples Alliance is a political party in Nigeria. Notable members of the party include Orji Uzor Kalu.The party won gubernatorial elections in 2003 and 2007 in Abia State. The party also won the governorship election in 2007 in Imo State...
(PPA) - People's Redemption PartyPeople's Redemption PartyThe People's Redemption Party was a political party in Nigeria. Often considered the Second Republic incarnation of the Northern Elements Progressive Union, the party was created by the late Mallam Aminu Kano. The PRP was highly regarded as a progressive left of center political party. Some well...
(PRP) - People's Salvation PartyPeople's Salvation PartyThe People's Salvation Party is a political party in Nigeria without parliamentary representation....
(PSP) - United Nigeria People's PartyUnited Nigeria People's PartyThe United Nigeria People's Party is a political party in Nigeria.At the 12 April 2003 legislative elections the party won 2.8 % of popular votes, 2 out of 360 seats in the House of Representatives of Nigeria, and no seats in the Senate....
(UNPP) - Fresh Democratic PartyFresh Democratic PartyThe Fresh Democratic Party is a liberal political party in Nigeria. FRESH is an acronym, Faith, Responsibility, Equality, Security and Hope. The founder and presidential aspirant is Reverend Chris Okotie...
(FDP) - Conscience Party of Nigeria (CPN)
- Justice PartyJustice PartyJustice Party is the name of several different political parties around the world:*Indian Justice Party*Justice Party *Justice Party *Justice Party *Justice Party *Justice Party *Justice Party...
(JP) - Masses Movement of Nigeria (MMN)
See also
- Nigerian First RepublicNigerian First RepublicThe First Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1963 and 1966 governed by the first republican constitution.-Founding :...
(1963–66) - Nigerian Second RepublicNigerian Second RepublicThe Second Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983 governed by the second republican constitution.- Founding :...
(1979–83) - Nigerian Third RepublicNigerian Third RepublicThe Third Republic was the planned republican government of Nigeria in 1993 which was to be governed by the Third Republican constitution.- Founding :...
(1993)