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Difficulty: HardThe Richards Constitution of 1946 and Regionalism

Under the 1946 Richards Constitution, Regional Houses of Assembly were established for the Northern, Western, and Eastern regions of Nigeria. Which of the following structural limitations of these assemblies formed a primary basis for nationalist opposition?

  1. They operated purely as advisory and deliberative bodies without independent legislative authority to enact binding laws.Answer
  2. B
    They established a fully autonomous federal framework dividing constitutional legislative powers between central and regional governments.
  3. C
    They introduced nationwide direct elections for all regional assembly members based on universal adult suffrage.
  4. D
    They abolished the executive veto power of the colonial Governor and established cabinet government at the regional level.

Answer

The Regional Houses of Assembly created under the 1946 Richards Constitution were limited to purely advisory and deliberative functions, lacking independent legislative power to pass laws.
The correct answer highlights that the Regional Houses of Assembly established under the 1946 Richards Constitution functioned only as deliberative and advisory bodies. They could debate proposed measures and make recommendations, but legislative authority to pass binding statutes remained exclusively with the central Legislative Council in Lagos.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the structural role of the Regional Houses of Assembly under the 1946 Richards Constitution.
Identified that while the constitution created regional assemblies in the North, West, and East, these bodies had no power to pass statutory legislation.
The Richards Constitution introduced administrative regionalism, but preserved a unitary system where legislative power remained concentrated in the central Legislative Council.
2
Evaluate nationalist criticisms regarding these regional bodies.
Nationalists criticized the regional assemblies as 'glorified debating societies' because they could only consider bills and offer non-binding advice.
True legislative autonomy and federal power sharing were withheld until subsequent constitutional reforms.
3
Distinguish 1946 regionalism from 1954 federalism.
Recognized that 1946 established administrative regionalism without legislative devolution, unlike the 1954 Lyttelton Constitution.
Confusing advisory regionalism with full federal legislative autonomy is a common constitutional history error.

Key Concept

Advisory nature of Regional Assemblies under the 1946 Richards Constitution
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

The Richards Constitution of 1946 and Regionalism

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