The People’s Republic: How they rule

FOURTHLY, apart from the fact thatNigerian public men succeeded in playing the leading role in the management of their own affairs, the Nigerian taxpaying population, including women in some parts; for the first time, had the chance of choosing, though indirectly, their indigenous rulers and lawmakers. For 50 years previously, Nigerians were either passive onlookers, or negative critics in the affairs of their land.

Fifthly, it was under the Macpherson Constitution that Nigerian leaders were afforded the much-needed and long-awaited opportunity for training in the art of modern government. For most Nigerian nationalists, their acquaintance with any form of public administration began with this constitution. Not being Chiefs, and having been daubed ‘agitators’ and ‘political adventurers’, they had, up to then, been largely excluded from taking part in public affairs – even in the affairs of the Native Authorities.

In other words, the policy of preparing Nigerians for that day when Britain would ‘transfer to them the administration of all the governments’ was only allowed to unfold under the Macpherson Constitution.

Sixthly, the Macpherson Constitution was the involuntary precursor, through an unbroken and inexorable series of rapid constitution-making, of the Independence Constitution of 1960.

We have hinted before that the Macpherson Constitution came to a premature end in 1954. The author had hoped that it would last for many years. The generality of Nigerians themselves had expected that it should serve Nigeria for at least five years. But this was not to be. The undue tightness of the constitution (which we have previously noted), together with some other circumstances, including the issue of self-government for Nigeria in 1956, brought about the breakdown of the constitution on 31 March 1953. Thereafter, a chain of constitutional conferences began

in 1953/54 and ended in 1957/58.

The 1953/54 Conference introduced some radical constitutional changes:

1. A number of specified subjects were vested in the Federal Parliament, whilst the residuals were vested in the Regional legislature.
2. The House of Representatives was dissolved and reconstituted. Its Members from the East and West were directly elected, whilst those from the North were indirectly elected through provincial electoral colleges. The franchise in 1954 varied among the Regions. It was based on a tax-paying qualification in the West and North, which included females in certain parts of the West;

whilst it was based on universal adult suffrage in the East and Lagos. Simultaneous membership of the Federal and Regional legislatures was abolished. (NOTE: Since 1956, the basis of franchise in the East, West, and Lagos had been universal adult suffrage. The North moved slightly further in 1957 to adult male suffrage, but this is retained to this day.

3. Each Region had three Ministers in the Council of Ministers. But these Ministers were nominated, for appointment by the Governor, by the leader of the political party with a majority of members from that Region in the House of Representatives. There was also provision that if a political party had an overall majority of members in the House of Representatives, it would be entitled to nominate the Ministers from each Region.
4. The Government of each Region was headed by a Premier who was empowered to assemble, and apportion portfolios among his team of Ministers.
5. The House of Representatives and the Council of Ministers no longer had official members as before, but continued to have three ex officio members as follows:

The Chief Secretary.

The Financial Secretary.

The Attorney-General.

The Governor, who now became Governor-General, continued to preside over the Council of Ministers.

6. With the exception of the Northern Region, the seats of all ex-officio and official members in the Regional legislatures and Executive Councils were abolished. The Western Legislature was free to elect its own President (styled Speaker in the Western House of Assembly). The Governor (formerly Lieutenant-Governor) himself presided over the meetings of the Northern House of Chiefs; but the President of the Northern House of Assembly was appointed by the Governor, acting in his discretion. In more or less the same fashion, the Speaker of the Eastern House of Assembly was appointed by the Governor acting in his discretion after consultation with the leaders of the majority and opposition parties.
7. The Governor of a Region (formerly Lieutenant-Governor) continued to preside over its Executive Council as before.
8. Under the Macpherson Constitution, the Minister administered the Department (not Ministry) under his charge, in association with the Official Head of the Department. What this meant in practice was that the Minister had no decisive say on any issue relating to his Department. If the Minister failed to carry the Official Head of the Department along on any subject, then the matter would have to fall into abeyance.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Buy and read digital replicas of your TRIBUNE titles by subscribing through E-VENDING

FG Launches Free E-Learning Portals For Primary, Secondary School Students
THE Federal Government has launched free e-learning portals for all students in primary and secondary schools following the closure of schools nationwide to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic… Read full story

PHOTOS: Man Who Had 281 Children From 47 Wives Dies At 73 In Angola
About a thousand mourners and sympathisers flouted Angolan president João Lourenço’s directive banning large gatherings – as a measure to curtail the spread of coronavirus – to pay their last respects to Francisco Tchikuteny Sabalo, the man who fathered 281 children from 47 wives at Mungongo Island in Angola on April 19… Read full story

UK To Start Trials On Whether Plasma Could Help COVID-19 Patients
Britain is to start trials to see whether plasma collected from donors who have recovered from COVID-19 could be an effective treatment for patients who are severely unwell with the disease. Up to 5,000 severely ill patients with COVID-19 could soon be treated each week with plasma as part of a new approach to treating the virus… Read full story

Four Docked In Ondo Over Murder Of Fasoranti’s Daughter
Four persons were on Friday arraigned before an Akure Chief Magistrate’s court for the murder of daughter of Afenifere leader, Mrs. Funke Olakunri. The four accused persons, Muhammed Shehu, 26; Mazaje Lawal, 40; Adamu Adamu, 60 and Awalu Abubakar, 25, were arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy… Read full story

WHO Appoints Okonjo-Iweala As COVID-19 Special Envoy
United a Nations, April 25, 2020 (NAN) The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday named former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as a Special Envoy for the newly inaugurated Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator… Read full story