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The Fourth Republic is the current republican government of Nigeria. Since 1999 it has governed the country according to the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Second Republic, which was in place between 1979 and 1983 and suffers many of the same problems, such as multiple ministries which made policy planning difficult. Nigeria adopted the constitution of the Fourth Republic on May 29, 1999.
[edit] The founding of the Fourth Republic (1999)
Following the death of military dictator and defacto ruler of Nigeria, General Sani Abacha in 1998, his successor General Abdusalami Abubakar initiated the transition which heralded Nigeria's return to democratic rule in 1999. The ban on political activities was lifted, and political prisoners were released from detention facilities. The constitution was styled after the ill fated Second Republic — which saw the Westminster system of government jettisoned for an American Presidential system. Political parties were formed (PDP, ANPP, and AD), and elections were set for April 1999. The widely monitored 1999 election saw the election of former military ruler Olusegun Obasanjo on the PDP platform. On 29 May 1999, Obasanjo was sworn in as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Following the 22 April 2007 presidential election in Nigeria, many voters have felt that they have been cheated. Many polling stations opened late, if at all, and there were no serial numbers to guard against counterfeit votes.[citation needed] Citizens accused various thugs of waiting outside the polls and threatening people to vote for certain candidates.[citation needed]
[edit] Presidents
[edit] Political Parties
[edit] Constitutional Amendments
[edit] See also
[edit] References
