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• The 36 States
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The Nigerian Constitution

• The Nigerian Constitution
  • Chapter I – General Provisions
  • Chapter II – Fundamental Objectives and directive Principles of State Policy
  • Chapter III – Citizenship
  • Chapter IV – Fundamental Rights
  • Chapter V – The Legislature (Part I)
  • Chapter V – The Legislature (Part II)
  • Chapter VI – The Executive
  • Chapter VII – The Judicature
  • Chapter VIII – Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and General Supplementary Provisions
• Schedules
  • First Schedule (State Descriptions)
  • Second Schedule (Legislative Powers)
  • Third Schedule (Executive Bodies)
  • Fourth Schedule (Functions of a Local Government Council)
  • Fifth Schedule (Codes of Conduct)
  • Sixth Schedule (Election Tribunals)
  • Seventh Schedule (Oaths)

Offices of State

Nigeria has many layers of government with several types of offices of state. All offices of state are defined in The Nigerian Constitution. The definitions used here are referenced from the relevant section of The 1999 Constitution.

The National Executive

Chapter VI (Part I – A) of The 1999 Constitution defines the executive arm of the Federation. The Executive consists mainly of the President, the Vice-President, the Executive Council (i.e. Federal Ministers). This Chapter also lays out how individuals may be elected or appointed to executive positions and the criteria for their eligibility. It also details how members of the executive may be removed from office and their general duties.

• President
  The President is the head of the Federal Executive. Section (130) Paragraph (2) of the 1999 Constitution defines The President as ” Head of State, the Chief Executive of the Federation and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation”.
• Vice President
  The Vice President deputises for the president.  The position is created in Section (141) Paragraph (1) of the 1999 Constitution.     He is appointed by the president as a running mate and is considered elected when his presidential candidate wins an election.

The State Executive

Chapter VI (Part II – A ) of The 1999 Constitution defines the executive arm of each state. The Executive consists mainly of the Governor, the Deputy Governor and commissioners of the state government.

This Chapter also lays out how individuals may be elected or appointed to official positions such as commissioners, state attorney generals and special advisers and the criteria for their eligibility. It also details how members of the state executive may be removed from office and their general duties.

The Legislature

Chapter V (Part I ) of The 1999 Constitution defines the legislative arm of the country at the federal level. The national legislature is known as the National Assembly and is made up of the Senate and the House of Assembly.

This Chapter also lays out how the National Assembly may be summoned or dissolved and the qualifications required to be eligible for membership. Chapter V (Part II ) of The 1999 Constitution defines the legislative arm of each staet. The state legislature is known as the (State) House of Assembly.

This Chapter also lays out how the State House of Assembly Assembly may be summoned or dissolved and the qualifications required to be eligible for membership, as well as their control over public funds.

Local Government

Chapter 1 (Part II, Section 7(1) ) of The 1999 Constitution guarantees the existence of democratically elected local government councils. The Fourth schedule outlines the main functions of a local government council, however the elected positions of local government councillors as well as appointed local government chairmen, which we know exist do not appear to be defined in the constitution.

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