The Young League Forum

THE CLIFFORD CONSTITUTION OF 1922       The Clifford constitution of 1922 abolished the Nigerian Council and established a new legislative council in Nigeria. The constitution introduced “elective principle” in Nigeria in 1922. The introduction of elective principle offered Nigerians opportunity to participate in electing their representatives at the council. As a result of the introduction, four (4) Nigerians were elected into the new legislative council. Out of four (4) elected, three (3) represented Lagos and one represented Calabar. The council as a whole was composed of 46 members.      Moreover, as a result of the introduction of elective principle, the first political party was formed in Nigeria. The party was Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP), which was formed in 1923 by Sir Herbert Macaulay. Highlights of Clifford Constitution of 1922 1. The constitution established new legislative co...

CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY        This is a body that is made up of intellectuals, constitutional lawyers or jurists etc., composed for the purpose of ratifying a draft constitution by the constitutional draft committee. Constitutional draft committee on the other hand is a body that drafts new constitution for a country. The primary functions of the Constituent Assembly are: to examine and ratify the primary function of the constitutional draft committee which is to draft new constitution for a state.

CONSTITUTIONALISM      We should note that one thing is for a country to have a constitution and another thing is to have constitutionalism. The principle of constitutionalism states that everybody , both the ruler (government) and the ruled (subjects) should abide by the provisions of the constitution. It means that nobody is above the law. The principle of constitutionalism is anchored on the rule of law that everybody is equal and subject before the law.      Shively (2005) did an elaborate research on the tenets constitutionalism. He started in his logical analysis by posing the following questions: given that each state has a constitution, how faithful is a state to its constitution? That is, how fully do the leaders honour the rules of politics in the state? He defined constitutionalism as “the doctrine that states that, states should be faithful to their constitutions because the rules so provided are all that can protec...

CONSTITUTION BY A . O . EZE      Every state, in fact every political organization, club, or other group has a constitution, or set of rules by which power is distributed among the members (Shively, 2005). Constitution is the fundamental law in a state that sets principles on how a state should be governed. According to Roskin et al (1988: 46) political scientists, view it as “that set of rules and customs, either written or unwritten, legally established or extralegal, by which a government conducts its affairs.” In the same vein Heywood (2007:316) contends logically that a constitution is a “set of rules, written and unwritten, that seeks to establish the duties, powers and functions of the various institutions of government, regulate the relationships between them, and define the relationship between the state and the individual.”      Constitution is the mother of other laws. It is the fundamental law of the state....