Nigerian Political Landscape: Essential Terms & Concepts
Fourth Republic of Nigeria
The current republican regime in Nigeria, established in 1999. It marked the return to democratic rule after years of military governance.
Olusegun Obasanjo
A former Nigerian President and the first President of the Fourth Republic (1999-2007). A Southern Christian, he played a crucial role in bringing democratic rule back to the nation. He also helped establish the Second Republic.
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua
President of Nigeria from 2007 to 2010. A Northern Muslim, his election and inauguration marked the first peaceful transfer of power between elected officials in Nigeria’s history.
Goodluck Jonathan
A Southern Christian who became President after Yar’Adua’s death in office (2010-2015). His ascension upset many Northern Muslims, who believed it was their turn for the presidency after Obasanjo’s southern tenure. He won the 2011 election and lost to Buhari in 2015, marking the first peaceful transition of power to an opposition party in Nigeria.
Muhammadu Buhari
A Northern Muslim and former coup leader and military head of state (1983-1985). He won the presidency in 2015 with a clear majority of 54% of the vote.
Sani Abacha
A military dictator who overthrew the Third Republic. He implemented a radical program of economic development, ending Babangida’s privatization initiatives. Known for brutal political suppression, he jailed elected officials for treason and publicly executed civil society activists who opposed him. His death was famously referred to as “the coup from heaven.”
Hausa-Fulani
A dominant Northern Muslim ethnic group, comprising approximately 30% of Nigeria’s population. The Hausa and Fulani tribes united after the Fulani Jihad in the 19th century.
Igbo
A predominantly Christian ethnic group, making up about 18% of Nigeria’s population, primarily residing in the Southeast.
Yoruba
A diverse ethnic group with mixed religious affiliations (majority Christian), comprising 21% of Nigeria’s population, primarily residing in the Southwest.
Indirect Rule
A colonial administrative system where local leaders continued to govern, subject only to limited supervision from imperial officials.
Middle Belt
The central region of Nigeria, characterized by its diverse ethnic and religious composition, where no single ethnic group dominates.
National Question
The fundamental challenge of effectively governing a highly ethnically and religiously diverse country like Nigeria, often phrased as: “How to effectively govern a country that is so ethnically diverse?”
Parastatals
Technically privately-owned companies, yet overseen and top-staffed by presidential appointees. They effectively function as part of the state and the patron-client network. An example is the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
A political party established by Olusegun Obasanjo in 1998. It was the dominant force in Nigerian politics from 1999 to 2015. The PDP maintained power through a flexible ideology and by establishing a vast patron-client network encompassing various ethnicities. They also agreed to rotate the presidency between Northern and Southern regions. The party lost the 2015 election to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ethnic Rotation
An informal agreement within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to rotate the presidency between Northern and Southern leaders. This arrangement was disrupted when President Yar’Adua died in office, leading to Goodluck Jonathan’s ascension to the presidency.
Prebendalism
Nigeria’s pervasive form of patron-client network, considered among the most severe in comparative government studies. It describes a system where public office is treated as a personal fiefdom, allowing officeholders to enrich themselves and their ethnic or regional groups.
Military in Barracks
A term used in Nigeria to distinguish the professional military from “military in government,” a crucial distinction due to the significant historical role of military generals in high government positions.