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Difficulty: EasySecond Republic and the 1979 Presidential Constitution

Which fundamental constitutional feature distinguished the 1979 Constitution of Nigeria's Second Republic from the 1963 Republican Constitution?

  1. The establishment of an executive presidential system combining the roles of Head of State and Head of GovernmentAnswer
  2. B
    The retention of a parliamentary cabinet headed by a Prime Minister responsible to the legislature
  3. C
    The concentration of executive authority in a ceremonial President with real power held by parliament
  4. D
    The complete replacement of the federal system with a centralized unitary structure of government

Answer

The 1979 Constitution introduced an executive presidential system where the President functions as both Head of State and Head of Government, replacing the Westminster parliamentary model of the First Republic.
The 1979 Presidential Constitution marked a major political shift in Nigeria by abandoning the British Westminster parliamentary model in favor of an American-style executive presidency. Under this system, the President was directly elected and combined the dual roles of ceremonial Head of State and chief executive Head of Government.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the historical transition in Nigeria's governance framework between the First Republic (1963) and the Second Republic (1979).
Recognize that the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) and Constituent Assembly abandoned the parliamentary system.
The parliamentary system of the First Republic was perceived to have contributed to political instability due to split executive powers between a Prime Minister and a ceremonial President.
2
Determine the primary constitutional innovation implemented in the 1979 Constitution.
The 1979 Constitution adopted an executive presidency modeled largely after the United States system.
This unified executive authority in a single popularly elected President who serves as both Head of State and Head of Government.

Key Concept

Executive Presidential System of the 1979 Constitution
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Second Republic and the 1979 Presidential Constitution