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Question

Difficulty: MediumSecond Republic and the 1979 Presidential Constitution

Which of the following structural changes was introduced by the 1979 Constitution of Nigeria to eliminate the executive friction experienced between the Head of State and Head of Government during the First Republic?

  1. Combining the functions of Head of State and Head of Government in a single elected Executive PresidentAnswer
  2. B
    Retaining a ceremonial President while empowering a Prime Minister appointed by the National Assembly
  3. C
    Subordinating judicial review powers to the Federal Executive Council to prevent executive deadlock
  4. D
    Concentrating legislative and regional executive powers exclusively within a unicameral central parliament

Answer

Combining the functions of Head of State and Head of Government in a single elected Executive President
During the First Republic, conflict arose due to the split executive roles between the ceremonial President and the executive Prime Minister. To prevent such friction in the Second Republic, the 1979 Constitution created a unified executive presidency in which a single individual serves as both Head of State and Head of Government.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the historical context of executive governance in Nigeria's First Republic (1963 Constitution).
The First Republic used a parliamentary system with a divided (bicephalous) executive comprising a ceremonial President (Head of State) and a Prime Minister (Head of Government), which created conflict between Nnamdi Azikiwe and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.
Understanding the constitutional deficiency of the First Republic is key to identifying why the 1979 Constitution was structured differently.
2
Identify the primary innovation of the 1979 Presidential Constitution.
The 1979 Constitution adopted an executive presidential system modeled after the United States, merging both roles into a single Executive President.
This structural shift ensured clear executive leadership and avoided split executive authority.

Key Concept

Executive Presidential System under the 1979 Constitution
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Topics

Second Republic and the 1979 Presidential Constitution