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Difficulty: HardThe Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970)

Following the January 1967 Aburi meeting in Ghana, a major political and constitutional deadlock emerged between the Federal Military Government and the Eastern Regional Government. Which of the following best analyzes why federal advisers resisted the full implementation of the agreement reached at Aburi?

  1. The full implementation of the accord would have effectively transformed Nigeria into a loose confederation, stripping the central government of supreme sovereign authority over the regions.Answer
  2. B
    The agreement sought to institute a highly centralized unitary system where regional executive authority was subordinated to federal military decrees.
  3. C
    The accord granted the central federal government supreme legal sovereignty to unilaterally dissolve regional legislative and executive bodies.
  4. D
    The accord replaced federalism with a system of administrative devolution, treating regional administrations as subordinate local government units.

Answer

The full implementation of the accord would have effectively transformed Nigeria into a loose confederation, stripping the central government of supreme sovereign authority over the regions.
The agreement reached at Aburi, Ghana in January 1967 granted regional governors veto powers over national executive decisions and military command. Federal legal advisers correctly pointed out that implementing these provisions would dismantle Nigerian federalism and establish a confederal system where component regions held sovereign authority over the central government.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the constitutional implications of the 1967 Aburi Accord.
The agreement called for regional veto powers over central government decisions and military organization.
Understanding the structure of power sharing agreed upon at Aburi reveals the shift in legal sovereignty.
2
Evaluate the distinction between federalism and confederation in governance.
In a federal system, the central government holds sovereign authority in defined national spheres; in a confederation, component units hold supreme authority.
Federal advisers recognized that regional veto powers effectively subordinated the central government to the regions.
3
Identify why the Federal Military Government rejected full implementation.
General Gowon and federal civil servants realized that implementing Aburi would dissolve federal unity and weaken national sovereignty.
Preserving central sovereign authority was paramount to preventing the total collapse of the Nigerian federation.

Key Concept

Aburi Accord and Federalism vs Confederation in Nigeria
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

The Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970)

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