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Question

Difficulty: HardThe Macpherson Constitution of 1951

Under the Macpherson Constitution of 1951, twelve Nigerian central ministers were appointed to the Council of Ministers. Which of the following best explains why this executive arrangement proved structurally defective in practice?

  1. Ministers were denied direct executive control and departmental responsibility over government ministries, acting primarily as spokespersons in the legislature.Answer
  2. B
    The Council of Ministers held judicial review authority to strike down regional legislation without gubernatorial approval.
  3. C
    The executive framework established fully autonomous regional cabinets led by elected Premiers with sovereign authority.
  4. D
    Central ministers were directly chosen through nationwide universal adult suffrage during general elections.

Answer

Ministers were denied direct executive control and departmental responsibility over government ministries, acting primarily as spokespersons in the legislature.
Under the Macpherson Constitution of 1951, the twelve Nigerian central ministers were ministers without portfolios. They were tasked with explaining policy matters in the legislature, but administrative and executive control of departments remained firmly in the hands of British colonial officials.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the executive provision of the Macpherson Constitution of 1951.
The constitution provided for a central Council of Ministers comprising the Governor, six official members, and twelve Nigerian ministers (four from each region).
Analyzing the constitutional setup helps evaluate its operational limits.
2
Assess the functional powers granted to the appointed ministers.
Ministers were responsible for introducing and taking charge of policy discussions regarding their assigned subjects in the legislature, but they possessed no executive authority over government departments.
British colonial official heads of departments retained executive administrative authority.
3
Identify the primary political consequence of this limitation.
Because ministers could not direct civil servants or enforce policy execution within departments, the executive organ lacked genuine cabinet responsibility and authority.
This structural flaw led to frustration among nationalist leaders and contributed to the constitutional crisis of 1953.

Key Concept

Executive Defects of the Macpherson Constitution of 1951
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Topics

The Macpherson Constitution of 1951