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Difficulty: MediumThe Richards Constitution of 1946 and Regionalism

The 1946 Richards Constitution established administrative regions for the North, West, and East, each with its own assembly. In what way did this arrangement maintain a unitary government structure rather than establishing true federalism?

  1. The regional assemblies lacked independent law-making powers and operated mainly as deliberative bodies for the Central Legislative Council.Answer
  2. B
    The central government transferred exclusive legislative authority to the regions and created regional premier offices.
  3. C
    The constitution provided for a bicameral legislature at the central level with equal regional representation.
  4. D
    The regional assemblies were granted full control over regional security forces and federal revenue allocation.

Answer

The regional assemblies lacked independent law-making powers and operated mainly as deliberative bodies for the Central Legislative Council.
The correct answer highlights that while the Richards Constitution of 1946 divided Nigeria into three administrative regions (North, West, East), the regional assemblies possessed advisory and deliberative functions rather than sovereign legislative authority. Ultimate law-making authority remained concentrated in the Central Legislative Council in Lagos, preserving a unitary structure.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the constitutional status of the regional assemblies under the Richards Constitution of 1946.
Identified that while the 1946 constitution created regional assemblies in the Northern, Western, and Eastern regions, ultimate legislative authority remained centered in Lagos.
To distinguish between administrative regionalism (Richards) and true federal division of powers (Lyttelton).
2
Evaluate the key characteristic of unitary governance in the 1946 arrangement.
The regional assemblies could only deliberate on bills and submit recommendations to the Central Legislative Council rather than enact independent statutes.
True federalism requires a constitutional division of sovereign legislative power between central and regional bodies.

Key Concept

Richards Constitution of 1946 vs. Lyttelton Federalism
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Topics

The Richards Constitution of 1946 and Regionalism

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