Federal government of Nigeria - wikipedia Federal government of Nigeria Federal Government of Nigeria Coat of arms of Nigeria Formation 1963 ; 54 years ago ( 1963 ) Founding document Constitution of Nigeria Jurisdiction Nigeria Legislative branch Legislature National Assembly Meeting place National Assembly Complex Executive branch Leader President of Nigeria Headquarters Aso Rock Presidential Villa Main organ Cabinet Judicial branch Court Supreme Court Seat Abuja, FCT Nigeria This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Nigeria Constitution Human rights President ( list ) Muhammadu Buhari Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Cabinet Federal Parastatals National Assembly Senate House of Representatives Supreme Court Subdivisions States State governors Local Government Areas Recent elections Presidential : 2011 2015 Parliamentary : 2011 2015 Political parties Foreign relations Nigeria portal Other countries Atlas The Federal Government of Nigeria is the federal government for the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a federation in West Africa, composed of 36 states, who share sovereignty with the federal government and 1 federal territory administered solely by the federal government. The federal government is composed of three distinct branches : legislative, executive, and judicial, whose powers are vested by the Constitution of Nigeria in the National Assembly, the President, and the federal courts, including the Supreme Court, respectively. Nigeria is a federal republic, with executive power exercised by the president. The president is the head of state, the head of government, and the head of a multi-party system. Nigerian politics takes place within a framework of a federal, presidential, representative democratic republic, in which executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is held by the real government and the two chambers of the legislature : the House of Representatives and the Senate. Together, the two chambers make up the law - making body in Nigeria, called the National Assembly, which serves as a check on the executive arm of government. The highest judiciary arm of government in Nigeria is the Supreme Court of Nigeria which was created after independence and also practices Baron de Montesquieu 's theory of the separation of powers based on the United States system and also practises checks and balances Contents 1 Legal system 1.1 Legislation as a source of Nigerian law 1.2 Nigerian statutes as sources of Nigerian law 1.3 The post independence legislation 1960 - 1966 1.4 Military regime, 1966 - 1999 2 Executive branch 3 Legislative branch 4 Judicial branch 5 Political parties and elections 5.1 Presidential elections of Nigeria, 2015 5.2 House of Representatives 5.3 Senate 6 States of Nigeria 6.1 Local governments 7 Military 8 Foreign relations 9 See also 10 References 11 External links Legal system The law of Nigeria is based on the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, and British common law ( due to the long history of British colonial influence ). The common law in the legal system is similar to common - law systems used in England and Wales and other Commonwealth countries. The constitutional framework for the legal system is provided by the Constitution of Nigeria. English Law, which is derived from its colonial past with Britain ; Common law, case law development since colonial independence ; Customary law, which is derived from indigenous traditional norms and practices ; Sharia law, law used in some states in the northern region. There is a judicial branch, with the Supreme Court regarded as the highest court of the land. Legislation as a source of Nigerian law In the pre-colonial of the Nigeria legal system indigenous or customary law constituted the major source of the law. Colonialism ushered in written law through local legislation, and this has remained the most comprehensive source ever since the inception of colonial rule. Legislation means written or written law signifies any law that is formally enacted two streams of legislation constitute this source in the Nigerian context they are ( 1 ) Acts of British parliament, popularly referred to as statutes of general application. ( 2 ) Local legislation ( comprising enactments of the Nigerian legislatures from colonial period to date ). There were other sources which though subsumed in Nigerian legislations were distinctly imported into the Nigerian legal systems. They are called the criminal and penal codes of Nigeria. Nigerian statutes as sources of Nigerian law Nigerian legislation may be classified as follows. The colonial era until 1960, post independence legislation 1960 - 1966, the military era 1966 - 1999. The post independence legislation 1960 - 1966 The grant of independence to Nigeria was a milestone in the political history of the country. This period witnessed the consolidation of political gains made during the colonial era. Politicians genuinely focused their lapses in the polity. It achieved for herself a republican status by shaking off the last vestiges of colonial authority. However, despite the violent violation of its provisions, the constitution remained the subsequent administrations ( military or otherwise ). Military regime, 1966 - 1999 The breakdown of law and order which occurred in the period under review would not be attributed to any defect in the Nigerian legal system. Corrupt practices both in the body politic and all aspects of Nigerian life eroded efficiency and progress. There were 8 coups generally five were successful and 3 were unsuccessful. Executive branch Seal of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The president is elected through universal suffrage. He or she is both the chief of state and head of government, heading the Federal Executive Council, or cabinet. The executive branch is divided into Federal Ministries, each headed by a minister appointed by the president. The president must include at least one member from each of the 36 states in his cabinet. The President 's appointments are confirmed by the Senate of Nigeria. In some cases, a federal minister is responsible for more than one ministry ( for example, Environment and Housing may be combined ), or a minister may be assisted by one or more ministers of State. Each ministry also has a Permanent Secretary, who is a senior civil servant. The ministries are responsible for various parastatals ( government - owned corporations ), such as universities, the National Broadcasting Commission, and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. However, some parastatals are the responsibility of the Office of the Presidency, such as the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Federal Civil Service Commission. Legislative branch House of Representatives of Nigeria. The National Assembly of Nigeria has two chambers : the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives is presided over by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. It has 360 members, who are elected for four - year terms in single - seat constituencies. The Senate, which has 109 members, is presided over by the President of the Senate. 108 members are elected for four - year terms in 36 three - seat constituencies, which correspond to the country 's 36 states. One member is selected in the single - seat constituency of the federal capital. OFFICE NAME TERM President of the Senate Bukola Saraki 2015 - Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara 2015 - Judicial branch The judicial branch consists of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the Court of Appeals, the High Courts, and other trial courts such as the Magistrates ', Customary, Sharia and other specialised courts. The National Judicial Council serves as an independent executive body, insulating the judiciary from the executive arm of government. The Supreme Court is presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and thirteen associate justices, who are appointed by the President of Nigeria on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council. These justices are subject to confirmation by the Senate. Office Office holder Assumed office Chief Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar 16 July 2012 Associate Justice Sylvester Umaru Onu Associate Justice Umaru Atu Kalgo 1998 Associate Justice G.A. Oguntade Associate Justice Sunday A. Akintan Associate Justice Mahmud Mohammed 2005 Associate Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen 2005 Associate Justice Ikechi Francis Ogbuagu 2005 Associate Justice F.F. Tabai 1999 Associate Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad 2007 Political parties and elections Presidential elections of Nigeria, 2015 Buhari 53.96 % Jonathan 44.96 % Margin : 2,571,759 Candidate Party Votes % Muhammadu Buhari All Progressives Congress 15,424,921 53.96 Goodluck Jonathan People 's Democratic Party 12,853,162 44.96 Adebayo Ayeni African Peoples Alliance 53,537 0.19 Ganiyu Galadima Allied Congress Party of Nigeria 40,311 0.14 Sam Eke Citizens Popular Party 36,300 0.13 Rufus Salau Alliance for Democracy 30,673 0.11 Mani Ahmad African Democratic Congress 29,665 0.10 Allagoa Chinedu Peoples Party of Nigeria 24,475 0.09 Martin Onovo National Conscience Party 24,455 0.09 Tunde Anifowose - Kelani Accord Alliance 22,125 0.08 Chekwas Okorie United Progressive Party 18,220 0.06 Comfort Sonaiya KOWA Party 13,076 0.05 Godson Okoye United Democratic Party 9,208 0.03 Ambrose Albert Owuru Hope Party 7,435 0.03 Invalid / blank votes 844,519 -- Total 29,432,083 100 Registered voters / turnout 67,422,005 43.65 Source : INEC House of Representatives Party Votes % Seats + / -- All Progressives Congress 225 People 's Democratic Party 125 Other parties 10 Invalid / blank votes -- -- -- Total 360 -- Registered voters / turnout -- -- Source : Reuters Nigeria Tribune Senate Party Votes % Seats + / -- All Progressives Congress 60 19 People 's Democratic Party 49 15 Labour Party Invalid / blank votes -- -- -- Total 109 -- Registered voters / turnout -- -- Source : Naijaonpoint States of Nigeria Nigeria is made up of 36 states and 1 territory. They are : the Federal Capital Territory, Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara Local governments Each state is further divided into Local Government Areas ( LGAs ). There are 774 LGAs in Nigeria. Kano State has the largest number of LGAs at 44, and Bayelsa State has the fewest at 9. The Federal Capital Territory of Abuja has 6 LGAs. LGAs replaced the Districts that were the previous third - tier administrative units under the British government. Military Main article : Military of Nigeria This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( December 2014 ) Nigerian troops The military of Nigeria has played a major role in the country 's history, often seizing control of the country and ruling it for long periods of time. Its last period of rule ended in 1999, following the death of the leader of the previous military junta Sani Abacha in 1998. Active duty personnel in the three Nigerian armed services totals approximately 76,000. The Nigerian Army, the largest of the services, has about 60,000 personnel, deployed between two mechanized infantry divisions, one composite division ( airborne and amphibious ), the Lagos Garrison Command ( a division - size unit ), and the Abuja - based Brigade of Guards. The Nigerian Navy ( 7,000 ) is equipped with frigates, fast attack craft, convettes, and coastal patrol boats. The Nigerian Air Force ( 9,000 ) flies transports, trainers, helicopters, and fighter aircraft ; however, most of their vehicles are currently not operational. Recently, Marshal of the Nigerian Air Force, Sadique Abubakar, suggested the purchase of equipment after dumping the non-operational vehicles. Foreign relations Main article : Foreign relations of Nigeria Nigeria currently has better foreign relations with its neighbours, due to its current state of democracy. It is a member of the African Union and sits on that organization 's Peace and Security Council. In 1960, Nigeria joined both the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations ; however, they were briefly suspended between 1995 and 1999. See also Nigeria portal Politics portal Senate of Nigeria National Assembly of Nigeria List of Nigerian state governors Nigerian Civil Service List of Nigerian states Nigerian Prisons Services Chief Justice of Nigeria References Jump up ^ `` separation of powers ''. TheFreeDictionary.com. Retrieved 2016 - 02 - 23. Jump up ^ `` Checks and Balances ''. www.factmonster.com. Retrieved 2016 - 02 - 23. Jump up ^ `` SOURCES AND CLASSIFICATION OF NIGERIAN LAW ''. Newswatch Times. Archived from the original on 2016 - 02 - 21. Retrieved 2016 - 02 - 23. Jump up ^ `` Government Ministries in Nigeria ''. Commonwealth of Nations. Retrieved 2009 - 12 - 21. Jump up ^ `` Permanent Secretaries ''. Office of the Head of Service of the Federation. Archived from the original on 2010 - 08 - 10. Retrieved 2009 - 12 - 20. Jump up ^ `` BOARDS OF PARASTATALS ''. Office of the Head of Service of the Federation. Archived from the original on 2009 - 10 - 10. Retrieved 2009 - 12 - 21. Jump up ^ `` Court System in Nigeria ''. The Beehive by One Economy Corporation. Archived from the original on February 25, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Constitution ''. The National Judicial Council. Archived from the original on January 24, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2012. Jump up ^ `` ALOMA MUKHTAR : Making of Nigeria 's Female CJN ''. P.M. News. Independent Communications Network Limited. July 16, 2012. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2012. ^ Jump up to : `` USAID Nigeria mission : Nigeria administrative divisions '' October 2004 External links Official website Nigeria articles History Kingdoms Empires Aro Benin Fulani Kanem - Bornu Nri Oyo Timeline Northern Nigeria Southern Nigeria Civil War Islamist insurgency Communal conflicts in Nigeria Niger Delta conflict 2016 Biafra conflict Geography Adamawa Plateau Cities Ecoregions Environmental issues Islands Jos Plateau Mountains National parks Niger Delta Rivers Niger Benue Wildlife Politics Administrative divisions Cabinet Constitution Elections Federal Executive Council Foreign relations Human rights Law enforcement LGBT history Military National Assembly House of Representatives Senate Political parties PDP APC President Vice-President Supreme Court Economy Agriculture Central Bank Economic history Energy Mining Naira ( currency ) Petroleum Stock Exchange Telecommunications Tourism Transport Society Capital punishment Corruption Demographics Diaspora Education Ethnic groups MASSOB MOSOP Oodua Peoples Congress Health Languages Organized crime Poverty Rankings Refugees Water supply and sanitation Culture Anthem Cinema Coat of arms Cuisine Demonyms Flag List of Nigerians Literature Media Newspapers Radio TV Music Public holidays Religion Smoking Sport Video gaming Outline Index Portal Politics of Africa Sovereign states Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde ( Cabo Verde ) Central African Republic Chad Comoros Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Ethiopia Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea - Bissau Ivory Coast ( Côte d'Ivoire ) Kenya Lesotho Liberia Libya Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Rwanda São Tomé and Príncipe Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa South Sudan Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe States with limited recognition Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Somaliland Dependencies and other territories Canary Islands / Ceuta / Melilla / ( see also plazas de soberanía ) ( Spain ) Madeira ( Portugal ) Mayotte / Réunion ( France ) Saint Helena / Ascension Island / Tristan da Cunha ( United Kingdom ) Western Sahara Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Federal_government_of_Nigeria&oldid=807920222 '' Categories : Government of Nigeria Politics of Nigeria Judiciary of Nigeria Hidden categories : Pages using deprecated image syntax Articles needing additional references from December 2014 All articles needing additional references Official website not in Wikidata Talk Contents About Wikipedia Languages Български Deutsch Français Igbo Italiano Kiswahili Português Română Русский Yorùbá Edit links This page was last edited on 30 October 2017, at 21 : 01. 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Question: functions of legislative arm of government in nigeria
Answer: the law-making body in Nigeria, called the National Assembly, which serves as a check on the executive arm of government