Political+Legitimacy

Political Legitimacy in Nigeria (ASC)

Things that Detract from Legitimacy in Nigeria (not things that add to it)**
 * Legitimacy**: concept about the degree to which people accept and endorse their regime, the wide-spread belief among the population that those in power are the right people to govern, grants those who are in power the authority required to rule the country
 * Legitimacy depends upon how effectively political administration and political instutions (governments, parliaments, and political parties) work.
 * It also depends on practice of citizenship and a general sense of belonging and unity.
 * Three types of legitimacy: traditional, charismatic, and rational-legal
 * Legitimacy in Nigeria

Legitimacy in Nigeria is currently quite low and one of the biggest challenges the government of the Fourth Republic faces is the establishment of the government's legitimacy. The obstacles to legitimacy of the Nigerian government:


 * **National question**: The heart of Nigeria's lack of legitimacy is the dilemna of how the country should be governed or if Nigeria should even be a nation. This question stems from Nigeria's contrived creation, ethnic tensions, and its relatively recent acquisition of independence.
 * **Fragmentation**: Because legitimacy also depends upon practice of citizenship and a general sense of unity, the existence of many very different ethnic groups in Nigeria leads to the tendency to fall apart along ethnic, region, and religious divisions. The three main ethnic groups in Nigeria are the Igbo, the Yoruba, and the Hausa-Fulani. Nigeria is also divided by religious practices with the majority of Nigerians practicing either Christianity of Islam.
 * **Lack of "Rule of Law"**: Rule of Law is the expectation for those who govern to also follow and support the written laws. A tradition of strong military leaders who use might to enforce their regimes has led to a lack of rule of law in Nigeria.
 * **Corruption**: Each regime since independence in 1960 has been marred by scandal and obvious corruption giving citizens very little confidence in their leaders.

Main Points
 * Outside Source:** [|**http://www.afrobarometer.org/papers/AfrobriefNo46.pdf**]
 * Afrobarometer's "Performance and Legitimacy in Nigeria's New Democracy"**
 * Public opinion surveys reflect widespread disappointment and frustration with the country's emerging democracy which weaken the legitimacy of the current government.
 * Surveys show that Nigerian support for Democracy as a form of government peaked in 2000 at 81% and has since fallen to 65% in 2005. This contrast sharply with the much larger decrease in satisfaction with the current democratic government which fell 59% in the same time period. These findings show that Nigerians while unsatisified with the current set of leaders and agencies still support the pursuit of a democratic form of government.
 * The "basic commitment to democracy among the public seems to be resilient" despite violence, corruption, and instability.
 * Approval of performance of elected officials has experienced a similar decrease with the president leading the local government and the National Assembly in approval ratings.
 * These trends in public attitudes "suggest a sustantial deficit of legitimacy in Nigeria's governance."

[]** Structure Leading Constitutional Principles Similarities to the US Consitution: Differences "Is Goodluck Jonathan the Answer to Nigeria's Woes?"**
 * Constitution
 * The 1999 Nigerian Constitution is the supreme law and establishes Nigeria as a country under constitutional supremacy with all branches (executive, legislative, and judiciary) and levels deriving their powers from this document.
 * All laws also derive their validity from the constitution and any laws contrary to the constitution are void.
 * The Constitution puts governing powers in the hands of the federal, state, and local governments with the National Assembly controlling exclusive power to legislate matters regarding defense, citizenship, foreign affairs, etc.
 * State legislatures share law making powers with the federal government over matters such as industry, commercial, agricultral development, education, etc, and reserve **residual powers** (matters not specifically listed).
 * The Constitution provides for revenue sharing, places state governments in the hands of an executive governor, and places chairpersons at the head of local governments.
 * Democracy, republicanism, secularism, the rule of law, and the separation of powers
 * The Constitution upholds these principles by explicitly banning the adoption of a national religion, stipulating periodic elections, and vesting soveriegnty in the people of Nigeria.
 * Separation of Powers
 * Federalism
 * Three branches: Executive, Judiciary, Legislative
 * Bicameral legislature, 4 year presidential term, Supreme Court
 * Voting age 18 years
 * Enumeration of rights
 * Incorporation of local governments in the Constitution
 * Specific mention of revenue sharing
 * Much larger Supreme Court, lacks judicial review
 * Current Event
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Summary Connection to Legitimacy
 * Stability of the Nigerian government and its legitimacy have been in question since November 2009 when President Yar' Adua left for Saudi Arabia to receive treatment for a heart condition. With rumours of his death flying around, the ability of the government to endure was in doubt.
 * This past week Goodluck Jonathan, the Nigerian Vice-President elected in 2007, was made acting president after the Nigerian parliament found Yar'Adua too sick to rule.
 * Current issues that Jonathan will have to deal with are the peace process in the southern Delta region of Nigeria, ethnic tensions, and corruption.
 * Delta rebels, violent and armed, are fighting for a larger share of the revenue from the oil that comes from that region.
 * Goodluck Jonathan will also have to address the tension that his background, Southern and Christian, bring to Abuja. Many northern Nigerians who are Muslim and more conservative have expressed little or no confidence in Goodluck Jonathan.
 * Also, critics have questioned Jonathan's honesty as he has declared $2.4 million in assets, a shocking sum for a public servant and former educator.
 * This article directly addresses three issues that challenge legitimacy in Nigeria: Fragmentation, Corruption, and Poverty.
 * Due to Goodluck Jonathan's background, nearly half the nation is already opposed to his leadership and many other citizens are suspicious of the honesty of his political activities.
 * However, just as the successful rise to power of Yar'Adua in the third election of the Fourth Republic was a sign of increasing stability and legitimacy, this peaceful transfer of power bodes well for Nigeria.
 * Although many groups and factions are displeased with Goodluck Jonathan's new position, they have accepted it because it is in accordance with the procedures detailed in the Constitution.

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