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MEANING OF MDG The Millennium Development Goals (MDG) are eight international development goals that were officially established following the millennium summit of the United Nations in 2000, following the adoption of the United Nations...
Historical Background Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) and Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) were formed as political parties after the introduction of the Clifford Constitution. They could not be said to be national parties. Their...
Delegated legislation is defined as the act of transferring powers and functions through the Acts of parliament to other organisations such as ministries, local governments, public corporations (PHCN, Water Board) etc. Laws made by...
Decentralization has to do with the sharing of power between the central government and other constituent units, within a political system. Powers are therefore, distributed to these different units, thereby creating many centres of...
Centralisation is defined as the process by which political power is located in a single central decision – making body. The highest degree of centralization is achieved where all powers of government are vested...
Political participation is defined as the process whereby individuals get themselves involved in the political activities and in the decision-making of their country. Forms of political participation Individual’s political participation may take the...
Representative government, also known as Indirect democracy, is defined as a government of elected representatives of the people. Those elected, through organised elections, rule on behalf of the people and with every assurance that...
The theory of checks and balances emphasises the power of any of the organs checking the activities of the others. For example the ability of the executive, legislature or judiciary, checking the activities of...
It is defined as the separation or division of political powers and functions among the three arms of government – the executive, legislature and judiciary. Each body should be constituted and be involved only...
Constitutionalism is based on the belief that the powers of the various organs of government should be defined and regulated by the constitution, so that those who govern the society do so without denying...
Liberty is defined as the ability or willingness to do something and the power of doing what has been conceived without interference or influence from any other source. However, liberty, as defined above, could...
Fundamental human right can be defined as those inalienable (natural) rights, and privileges enjoyed by the citizens of a given state, which are usually stated in the constitution of the country. It is the...
Deregulation is the process of removing state regulations. It is therefore opposite of regulation which refers to the process of the government regulating certain activities. it is also seen as the reduction or elimination...
This is a state policy of making its companies, enterprises, parastatals, etc, more efficient and even more profit oriented. It will also make these organisations come up with efficient management of resources. Reasons...
Privatisation is a policy of the government created to afford individuals, corporate bodies, the opportunity to take over ownership and control of government enterprises, companies, etc. REASONS FOR PRIVATISATION To introduce efficient management:...
Mixed economy is an economic system that accommodates two different ideologies: capitalism and socialism. Therefore, it is an economic system where the means of production of goods and services, distribution and exchange are in...
Fascism is defined as a form of government headed by a dictator, in which government has a total control over all activities in the state, and personal liberties are denied the people, e.g. Italy...
Since 1945, the impression has been created that take – over of political control by the armed forces or ensuring the replacement of one civilian government by another is a norm rather than an...
A Republican form of government can be defined as a sovereign state headed by a president, elected for a fixed term of office. Unlike a monarchy, succession to the office of Head of state...
Monarchy may be defined as a type of government by one individual. This individual may be a king, queen or emperor. A constitutional monarch is one that is subject to legal limitations while absolute...
Confederation may be defined as a league of sovereign states with a loose political arrangement in which autonomous states come together to form a union. However, the functions of government are exclusively reserved for...
Parliamentary system of government is defined as a system of government in which the head of state is distinct from the head of government. Both offices and functions attached to them are in the...
Presidential system of government is defined as one in which the head of state of a country is also the head of government. It is a system in which all executive powers are vested...
A federal state is one in which there is constitutional division of powers among different levels or three tiers of government (federal, state/region, local governments). In a federal system, the federal or central authority...
Unitary government may be defined as one in which all powers and authorities for the exercise of the functions of running a state are concentrated in the hands of a single central government. In...
Legitimacy is a political concept which refers to the acceptance and recognition by the citizens of a country, the rights of their rulers to govern. A government is considered legitimate, if it comes to...
Sovereignty means the supreme power and authority of the state over the citizens. It is the power of the state (exercised by a body of persons known as sovereign) to make laws and enforce...
Democracy is defined as a form of government in which the people exercise their governing power either directly or through representatives periodically elected by them. Therefore, this informs us that democracy provides institutions for...
It refers to the way the members of a political community behave in their political activities, e.g. voting. It refers to the usual attitude, beliefs and perception of people towards politics. It also deals...
Political socialization is defined as the process of acquiring political beliefs, values, attitude as well as citizenship training that shapes a citizen’s political behaviour. It is also the process of political learning from childhood...
Communalism is a social, political and economic arrangement in which landed property and other natural resources are collectively owned, managed and co-operatively harnessed by the community for the common good of everybody. Participation in...
The Composition and History The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is made up of 13 member states mostly developing nations of the world and it was founded in Baghdad, Iraq in 1960. ...
FORMATION The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was founded on 28th May, 1975 in Lagos, Nigeria. It comprised all the 16 independent nations of West Africa. Abuja is the administrative head-quartres of...
The New Partnership for Africa’s Development should be seen as a home – grown African initiative to overcome the age-long obstacles to African development. This body is assumed to be in partnership with the...
Historical perspective The 37th summit of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) held between the 9th 13th of July, 2001 was the last summit of the 38-year-old organization. It also marked the birth of...
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE The Organization of African Unity (OAU) was founded on may 25, 1963 at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Thirty independent African states attended the inaugural meeting. The organization was intended to unite all African...
ORIGIN OF U.N.O. The United Nations Organisation came into existence in 1945. This was as a result of the failure of the League of Nations, formed in 1919, after the First World War(1914-18), to...
MEANING AND THE NEED FOR PEACE The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines peace as a situation or a period of time in which there is no war, argument or violence in a country or an...
Conflict is disagreement between individuals, people or groups of people or a clash between ideas, principles, etc. Conflict must be as long as man remains in the state of incompatibility in attitude and behavior....
Party system may be defined as the conduct of government based on the number of political parties within the system. For example, NPN, UPN, NPP, GNPP, PRP and NAP , the 6 political parties...
Non-alignment may be defined as non-commitment of a nation to either the West or the East on any international issue. It is mostly associated with neutrality in the face of mounting tension in the...
Foreign policy refers to the decisions and actions taken by a state to pursue her interests within the global system. The ability of a nation to influence the decisions and actions of other nations...
There is inter-dependence and interrelationship existing among nations of the world. No nation is an island. Nations of the world have become so closely related to one another as a result of breakthrough in...
In the early hours of January 15,1966, Nigeria witnessed the first military coup led by Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu and other majors in the army. It was a bloody military intervention in the political history...
Historical Background The evolution of local government system in Nigeria could be traceable to the Great Britain municipalities form of local government. This system was introduced in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu etc had similar...
Ombudsman is a government institution established to examine complaints of inefficient administration, corruption and unjustified treatment by over-zealous public authorities or officials against citizens. Ombudsman is also known as the Public Complaints Commission. It...
The First Republic Constitution of 1963 recognised and established a Federal Police Service Commission. This body is responsible for recruitment, promotion, discipline and dismissal of members of the force. The police is seen as...
It is a pattern of administration involving government departments in which complicated official routine is observed in the conduct of public affairs and in the activities of public officials. It is laying much emphasis...
The civil service is a body or department in the executive arm of government. It has the duty of assisting the executive in the planning and implementation of government policies. The civil service is...
Attempts made by nations to establish international organization were not sufficient enough to see them through. Besides, there was no political organization with the intention of bringing nations together, settling disputes and averting wars...