nigeria by sonia danon, rebecca zhang, jamey capolupo
TRANSCRIPT
NigeriaBy Sonia Danon, Rebecca Zhang,
Jamey Capolupo
The Basics• Capital: Abuja
• Population: 151.3 million
• Currency: Naira
• Major religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs
10%
• 270,000 children with AIDS
• 95% of exports are petroleum related
• 853 km of coastline
Precolonial Era (800-1860)
Trade connections – Niger River provides access to ocean
Influence of Islam – Hausa contact and trade with north facilitates integration of Islamic principles
Kinship-based Politics – in the South, political organization was usually at the village level
Complexities – not all governing in north was centralized and not all governing in south was at the village level
Democratic Principles – valued accountability
Colonial Era (1860-1960)
Authoritarian rule – in 1860, the British imposed indirect rule
Interventionist State – led to citizens passively accepting the actions of their rulers
Individualism – led to chiefs thinking about personal benefits of governance
Christianity – increase in education and literacy but also intensified cleavages
Intensification of Ethnic Politics – 3 main groups: Hausa-Fulani, Igbo, Yoruba
The Era Since Independence (1960-present)
Military Rule
1966 – Aguyi Ironsi, first military ruler
1976-70 – Biafran Civil War as a result of Aguyi Ironsi’s assassination
1979 – Olusegun Obasanjo willingly steps down for democratically elected president Shehu Shagari
1983 –Shagari forced out of office by military coup led by General Muhammed Buhari
1999 – democratic election brings Obasanjo back to power
The Era Since Independence (1960-present)
Presidential System – 1979 – popularly elected president, separate legislative branch, and independent judiciary
Personalized Rule and Corruption – result of individualism
Federalism – failed attempt to mollify ethnic tensions
Economic Dependence on Oil – economy fluctuates with international oil market
The Executive Branch President Goodluck
Jonathan (since 9 February 2010)
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
became president on 5 May 2010 following the death of President Yar'Adua, was Acting President by 9 February 2010 (by the National Assembly) during Yar'Adua's illness
The Executive Branch (continued)
Cabinet Federal Executive
Council
Chief of State President
Goodluck Jonathan (since 9 February 2010) - all appts approved by Senate
The Legislative Branch
Bicameral National Assembly: Senate (109 seats, 3 from each state plus 1
from Abuja; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
House of Representatives (360 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Judicial Branch Supreme Court - judges recommended by the
National Judicial Council and appointed by the president
Federal Court of Appeal - judges are appointed by the federal government from a pool of judges recommended by the National Judicial Council - 14 justices
Justice Ayo Salami, Nigeria Court of Appeal President
Political Parties PDP is dominating party since 1999
All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) - North
Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) - South
Legitimacy
•Prebendalism (patron-clientelism) - the use of favors
and bribes to create a loyal system of patrons and clients
•Nigerian government and MOCs prosper, communities decline
•Imbalance in power
Disunity: Politics
Disunity: Ethnic
Disunity: Wealth
Disunity: Health
Disunity: Literacy
Disunity: Oil
Political Culture Patron-clientelism – exchanging political
favors
State control and a rich civil society
Tension between modernity and tradition
Religious Conflict
Geographic influence
Discussion on Disunity
Which aspect of their social or political culture do you think contributes most to their disunity?
Ideally, should Nigeria be split based on ethnic divisions or should it remain unified?
Do you think this is possible given Nigeria’s current state?
2007 Election According to Nigeria's Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP won the election, with Umaru Yar'Adua as their candidate, in a landslide
Intimidation
Fabricated results
Lack of secrecy
Major setback for democracy
Upcoming Elections Most expensive election in
Africa’s history
Main Issues: Security, Corruption, Electricity, Postponement, Violence
73.5 million registered voters (out of 151.3 million) - voting age is 18
9 April: Legislative elections - 109 senators
16 April: Presidential - 20 candidates
April: State governors - 36 governors
54 parties
Supposed to be held Jan 22
Postponement 4/2/11 (Sat) to
4/4/11(Mon), NOW: 4/9/11(Sat)
announced by Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) head Attahiru Jega “logistical problems”
- ex. absence of voting materials from many polling stations
Violence
High security - borders closed with limited road traffic allowed
Ballot boxes being stolen
Nigerian elections historically marked by violence
Amnesty International: at least 20 people killed in election-related clash over last
Deadly bomb blast on the morning of elections
Security
Postponement Discussion
Do you think the delay of the elections is good or bad?
Causes:
Party logos and names not showing up on the ballot
Materials not showing up
Voter names not showing up on registration lists
Effects:
Ballots exposed due to postponement
Voter intimidation (threatening/loitering by voting stations with guns/bribing)
Parties station by voting area to control the votes
Election Video http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/201
1/04/11/bs.purefoy.nigeria.election.cnn?iref=allsearch
Candidates20 Presidential, 4 main contenders
Muhammadu Buhari Goodluck Jonathan
Nuhu RibaduIbrahim Shekarau
Muhammadu Buhari Congress for Progressive
Change (CPC)
Age 68, Muslim from northern Nigeria
Military ruler of Nigeria from 1984 to 1985 - deposed in a coup
Poor human rights record
Defeated in last 2 elections
Depend on dissatisfied northern members of PDP for support
Goodluck Jonathan People’s Democratic
Party (PDP)
became President after Yar’Adua ‘s death
Christian from southern Ijaw ethnic group
Nuhu Ribadu Action Congress of Nigeria
(ACN)
former head of Nigeria’s anti-fraud police ( head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission)
ACN party boss Bola Tinubu taints image
threatened by Yar’Adua’s presidency
few clear policies on trade, power, the economy or education
Ibrahim Shekarau All Nigeria Peoples
Party (ANPP)
current governor of Kano State
previously in education administration
rejected polio vaccinations (attempts to make Muslim women infertile)
Predictions Buhari’s biggest contender
undermine PDP - tradition of alternating power
Run-off election
CPC and ACN even talk of producing joint northern candidate.
Early indications of election votes’ counting show decline of PDP, the ruling party – slipping in power?
Some Election Results
46 results out of 94 senatorial districts:
ACN has 14 seats (30.4%),
ANPP 1 seat (2.2%),
APGA 1 seat (2.2%),
CPC 3 seats (6.5%),
LP 2 seats (4.3%),
PDP 25 seats (54.3%)
Results Cont’d80 results have been gotten out of 315 constituencies:
ACCORD has 3 seats (3.8%),
ACN 23 seats (28.8%),
APGA 2 seats (2.5%),
CPC 5 seats (6.3%),
LP 1 seat (1.3%),
PDP 45 seats (56.3%),
PPN 1 seat (1.3%)
Discussion on Elections
What do you think the 2011 election’s impact on the Nigerian people will be in terms of their vision of future democracy and the government’s legitimacy?
Who do you think will win the presidential elections?
How will the disunity of Nigeria play in the elections and future politics?
Compare it to the democratic elections of other countries.