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Nigeria Page |
Welcome to ElectionInfo.com's pages on Nigeria
Official Name: Federal Republic of Nigeria
Capital: Abuja
Area: 923,770 square kilometres (356,670 square miles)
Major cities (Population)
Lagos 1,500,000 (1995 estimate)
Ibadan 1,484,000 (1995 estimate)
Kano 699,900 (1992 estimate)
Ogbomosho 628,000 (1990 estimate)
Oshogbo 410,500 (1990 estimate)
Ilorin 409,700 (1990 estimate)
Abuja 376,000 (1990 estimate)
Abeokuta 367,900 (1990 estimate)
Port Harcourt 352,400 (1990 estimate)
Ilesa 342,400 (1992 estimate)
Zaria 326,400 (1990 estimate)
Onitsha 320,200 (1990 estimate)
Iwo 311,600 (1990 estimate)
Ado Ekiti 309,400 (1990 estimate)
Population: 111,721,000 (1995 estimate)
Population growth rate: 3 per cent (1990-1995 average)
Type of government: Non-elected interim government was overthrown by a military coup on 18 November 1993; a military regime has been in power since then.
Independence: 1 October 1960 (from the United Kingdom)
Constitution: 1 October 1979, amended 9 February 1984, revised 1989; on 21 November 1993 the 1979 version was restored.
Voting Rights: Universal at age 21
Government
Before the June 1993 elections were cancelled, the government was to have been modelled on a modern democratic republic, with a president, a bicameral legislature, and an independent supreme court. For the present, General Abacha is the head of the Provisional Ruling Council, and he is also defence minister in a cabinet with 31 other ministers. The military controls many aspects of the government.
Recent History
Nigeria was a crown colony of the United Kingdom from 1914 to 1960. After it gained independence, tensions began to rise among the various ethnic groups. After two coups and much unrest, the Ibo-dominated eastern region attempted to secede and establish the Republic of Biafra. Almost three years of civil war from 1967 to 1970 followed, and the Ibo were forced back into the republic after more than 1 million people died.
In 1979 national elections were held under a new constitution and a representative civilian government was established. However, this government lasted only until late 1983, when a military coup returned the army to power. Another coup occurred in the summer of 1985, and Major General Ibrahim Babangida became the nation’s new military leader.
Transition from military to civilian rule was originally planned for 1989, but scheduled elections were postponed. State elections from two officially approved parties occurred in 1991. In preparation for democracy, the capital was moved from Lagos to Abuja in December 1991. The move was completed after the new government took power. Many new buildings and a modern infrastructure were built to receive the government, but the city has not yet actually been used as the working capital.
Full national presidential elections were scheduled for 1992, but they were not held until June 1993. Amid considerable controversy, Babangida refused to accept the outcome of the elections, which appeared to have been won by the prominent businessman Chief Moshood Abiola, and announced a new vote with fresh candidates for August. This election did not take place. An interim government was formed, and Babangida, under intense pressure from within the army, resigned from office. The civilian interim government lasted less than four months before the army, under General Sani Abacha, announced in November 1993 that it was taking power again. Despite strong opposition, party politics were again banned and the national and state assemblies were dissolved. Although Abacha announced in October 1995 that he would step down in favour of a civilian government in 1998, many observers are sceptical, citing broken pledges by earlier military rulers. General Abacha has created a questionable future for democracy in Nigeria.
The Nigerian government executed Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other men on 10 November 1995. Saro-Wiwa was a playwright and outspoken critic of the Nigerian government who was charged with the murders of four pro-government members of the Ogoni ethnic group, of which Saro-Wiwa was also a member. The government charged that Saro-Wiwa incited his followers to commit the murders. International human rights groups said the charges against Saro-Wiwa were unfounded. They also reported that Saro-Wiwa’s trial was unfair and that he was denied an adequate defence. Many countries withdrew their ambassadors from Nigeria to protest the executions, which many regarded as politically motivated. The Commonwealth of Nations suspended Nigeria’s membership. In addition, the European Union (EU) has called for oil sanctions.
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