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Managing Constitutional Change in the Nigerian Federation

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  • Rotimi Suberu

Abstract

Since making the transition from military to civilian rule in 1999, Nigeria has witnessed intensive, but largely unfulfilled, pressures for comprehensive federal constitutional change. This article analyzes the multiple ethno-political drivers and institutional themes of Nigeria’s constitutional struggles, the conflicting approaches to federal reform by governmental, civic, and ethno-regional groups, and potential pathways to a more effective governance of the country’s constitutional challenges. The article contends that incremental constitutional change and non-constitutional renewal, including benign constitutional transgressions and creative legislative and judicial interventions, offer the most feasible path to federal accommodation and development in Nigeria in the absence of national consensus on the desirability and modality of wholesale, mega-constitutional reform.

Suggested Citation

  • Rotimi Suberu, 2015. "Managing Constitutional Change in the Nigerian Federation," Publius: The Journal of Federalism, CSF Associates Inc., vol. 45(4), pages 552-579.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:publus:v:45:y:2015:i:4:p:552-579.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/publius/pjv014
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. World Bank, 2013. "Nigeria Economic Report, No. 1, May 2013," World Bank Publications - Reports 16568, The World Bank Group.
    2. World Bank, 2007. "Nigeria - A Fiscal Agenda for Change : Public Expenditure Management and Financial Accountability Review, Volume I, Main report," World Bank Publications - Reports 7741, The World Bank Group.
    3. Richard M. Bird & François Vaillancourt, 2006. "Perspectives on Fiscal Federalism," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6953.
    4. World Bank, 2012. "Devolution without Disruption," World Bank Publications - Reports 27157, The World Bank Group.
    5. Bertelli, Anthony M. & John, Peter C., 2012. "From the editors," Journal of Public Policy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 32(03), pages 169-170, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Resnik, Danielle & Okumo, Austen, 2017. "Institutional Limits To Land Governance Reform: Federal-State Dynamics In Nigeria," Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy Research Papers 259578, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security (FSP).

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