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Difficulty: MediumThe Macpherson Constitution of 1951

Which feature of the Macpherson Constitution of 1951 led constitutional scholars to describe the governance structure as quasi-federal rather than a fully federal system?

  1. The central legislature retained supreme authority to override regional laws, while regions lacked exclusive constitutional powersAnswer
  2. B
    The constitution established fully autonomous regional judiciaries and separate civil services for each region
  3. C
    The central executive council was headed by an elected Nigerian Prime Minister with full cabinet control
  4. D
    The regional assemblies possessed exclusive legislative lists while the central assembly was limited to advisory duties

Answer

The central legislature retained supreme authority to override regional laws, while regions lacked exclusive constitutional powers
The Macpherson Constitution of 1951 is classified as quasi-federal because although it introduced regional legislative bodies, the central House of Representatives retained overriding authority to review, alter, or disallow laws passed by the regions. True federalism with coordinate, independent spheres of authority was only established by the Lyttelton Constitution of 1954.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the constitutional structure of the Macpherson Constitution of 1951
Identified that while regional assemblies were created in the North, West, and East, their legislative powers were subject to central control.
Understanding the legislative power balance between the centre and regions determines whether a constitution is unitary, quasi-federal, or fully federal.
2
Distinguish quasi-federal features from full federalism in Nigerian constitutional history
Full federalism requires coordinate and independent powers between central and regional governments (introduced in 1954), whereas the 1951 structure retained central legislative dominance over regional laws.
The central legislature under the Macpherson Constitution could veto or overwrite regional bills, making the system quasi-federal.

Key Concept

Quasi-federal character of the Macpherson Constitution of 1951
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Topics

The Macpherson Constitution of 1951