1. Nigeria
Day Four Review

2. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power
National Question – who should rule? Basics of rule?
Constitutionalism – 1914 to 1999 – so many that legitimacy is questioned by the people
Legitimacy – challenging priority; country has strong impulses to fragmentation; military ironically only continuing source of stability, little to no trust in government
Traditions
Pre-colonial – trade, early influence of Islam, kinship-based politics, complex political identities, democratic impulses
Colonial – authoritarian rule, duel mandate, interventionist state, individualism, Christianity, intensification of ethnic politics
Independence – parliamentary then presidential system, intensification of ethnic conflict, military rule, personalized rule and corruption, federalism, economic dependence on oil
Is a FRAGILE democracy

3. Political Institutions – 1 of 3
Political Culture
Patron-clientism – prebendalism
State control but a rich civil society
Tension between modern and tradition
Religious conflict between Islam and Christianity
Geographic Influences
Hausa
Fulani
Kanuri
Federal Capital Territory
Abuja
Middle
Zone
Yoruba
Igbo
Southern
Zone
Lagos

4. Political Institutions – 2 of 3
Political Parties
People’s Democratic Party – PDP – dominant party
All Nigeria People’s Party – ANPP – former dominant opposition party
Action Congress – AC – break away of PDP
Congress for Progressive Change – CPC – current dominant opposition party and also break away from PDP
Elections and Procedures
National election for president and legislative posts
Fraud in 2003, 2007, 2011 elections: best election yet
Executive Branch
Since 2nd Republic is presidential system, generals used patrimonialsim when in power
Bureaucracy was bloated and corrupt
Para-statals
State Corporatism

5. Political Institutions – 3 of 3
Legislative Branch
Senate and House of Representatives in the National Assembly
Only recently is an effective check on executive power
Corrupt
Judiciary
Early on was autonomous and operated independent from executive
Military rule ravaged court system, judicial review suspended, cronies appointed
Judicial review today has returned, is exerting more authority
Military
Military in government vs. military in the barracks
Subject to internal discord
One of the few institutions that are national in character

6. Citizens, Society, and the State – 1 of 2
Societal Characteristics
Poverty – 60% below poverty line
Gap between rich and poor- most are very poor
Health issues – HIV/AIDS 1 in 11 in the world are in Nigeria
Literacy – gap between men and women
Cleavages
Ethnicity – 250 – 400 different groups
Religion – Muslim vs. Christian
North vs. South – follow ethnic and religious divide
Urban vs. Rural – cities have many more resources
Social Class – division between elites and regular people
Public Opinion and Political Participation
Patron-clientalism (pre-bendalism) – way most people participate in government
Civil Society – like MOSOP and NUPENG
Voting Behavior – higher than some LDN but hard to determine due to fraud
Attitudes toward government – low level of trust
Protests, Participation, & Social Movements –some successful; most violent put down

7. Citizens, Society, and the State – 2 of 2
Interest Groups
Are an array of civil society organizations that often cooperate with political parties
Labor Unions – challenge to government; Babangida used corporatism to limit their influence but still active in Nigeria today
Business Interests – some worked in collaboration with military as elites but others have made real difference for members
Human Rights Groups – protested against Babangida and Abacha, loosely connected
Mass Media
Long and well developed independent press
Most outspoken are in the South
Radio is the main source for majority of Nigerians

8. Political and Economic Change
Pre-Colonial
Occurred through cultural diffusion
Sokoto Caliphate created through jihad created change in North
Slave trade impact on the South
Colonial
1860 British direct rule
Creation of trade outlet when resources and labor are exploited
Emphasized difference between north and south; gave more power to elites and reinforced tendency to use position for personal benefit
Independence
Import substitution – failed and created high inflation
Obasanjo released power willingly to Shagari but 1983 coup by Buhari
Ethnic identity is a major basis for conflict in Nigeria
Institutionalization of corruption among political elite was made worse by Babangida
Numerous rules through coup – formulated disappointment and resentment by Nigerians

9. Public Policy – 1 of 2
Face top down policy making process with power concentrated in the presidency; most input comes from patron-clientelism and the creating of a loyalty pyramid
Economic Issues- squandering of Nigeria’s wealth, deeply in debt, most live in poverty, oil revenues are a source of conflict along Niger Delta
Oil: is a rentier state that gets income from exporting oil and leasing oil fields; in 1970s gave it leverage but when oil prices drop so does the economy; over relies on oil, MEND uses violence to make statement for Niger Delta
Structural Adjustment – started with Babangida with support from IMF and World Bank, but has mostly failed
2008 Economic Crisis – mixed reaction
Federal Character – is the goal that unites all, but some feel need devolution while others want more shared revenue

10. Public Policy – 2 of 2 Democratization
Since 1999 some enterprises have been privatized and wages have increased
Some money has returned to the nation from foreign banks and revival of civil society since 2007
Have an independent media and have had peaceful succession of power
Freedom House scores it as “partly free”