Synopsis Lyttleton Constitution Of 1954

Synopsis Lyttleton Constitution Of 1954

 

The constitution of Nigeria is the supreme law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

 

Introduction

The Lyttleton Constitution was enacted in 1954 and it established the federal principles and paved the way for independence. The Lyttleton Constitution of 1954 was the product of the Macpherson Constitution which was reviewed and revised through constitutional conferences, example the 1953 London and 1954 Lagos Constitutional Conference. The constitution was enacted while Nigeria was a crown colony of the British. Since then, there have been five more constitutions. 1960 independence constitution , 1963 constitution – First Republic, 1979 constitution – Second Republic, 1993 Constitution – Third Republic, and the 1999 Constitution, Fourth Republic. The 1954 Lyttleton Constitution was regarded as a milestone in the constitutional history of Nigeria.

Avikpo Okoi described it as “the Kernel of all further constitutional changes, which culminated in the establishment of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on October 1963. The constitution addressed some points to separate most of the central and inter dependence activities among the regions of the central. Some of the points are:

1.   Each region should have an autonomous house of legislative and executive.

2.   There was no more central legislative and executive for Nigeria.

3.   Each region should have its own civil services

4.   The central government should operate from a neutral place.

The main features of Lyttleton Constitution

1.         Autonomy of regions was the most important.

2.         Membership of the house of representative was increased to 184

3.         The constitution introduced a federal system of government power between the centre and the regions.

4.         Lagos was carved out of the west and was made the Federal Capital Territory.

5.         The constitution provided for a council of ministers with the government general as president, 3 officials appointed by the governor-general, from each region on the advice of the regional executive council. The council of ministers was collective responsible to the legislature, and advice the governor-general on execution of policies. It also initiated bills and formulated policies.

6.         The governor of the region cased to be members of the federal executive council.

7.         The post of premier was created in each region for the first time, and he was to advice the governor of his region.

FEATURES OF LYTTLETON CONSTITUTION

1.    A federal legislature consisting of 184 members, which were elected directly and independently of regional assemblies.

2.     A council of ministers with the governor-general as the president, with three official members, three ministers from each region and one minister from Southern Cameroon.

3.     It retained the bi-cameral legislature for both North and West, and uni-cameral for the East.

4.     The leader of the major party in the regional assembly was expected to be appointed the regional premier.

MERITS OF THE 1954 CONSTITUTION

1.     It provided a federal system of government in Nigeria.

2.     Ministers were given portfolios

3.     The posts of permanent secretaries and the parliamentary secretaries were created.

4.     It granted real law making powers to the regional legislatures.

5.     It recognized the need for gradual integration of the various groups in Nigeria by passing power to the regions. Regional governments were given greater responsibility.

6.     It rescued the Nigerian state from gradual collapse by rejecting the customs union proposed by the North.

7.     It paved way for regional self-government.

8.     It separate elections were allowed into the regional the central legislative houses, unlike before which one was an electoral college of the other.

9.     Ministers were given greater responsibility.

10.    It recognised the need to appoint premiers in the regions.

11.    It properly decided not to recognize the right or a region to secede as requested by the Action Group.

DEMERITS OF LYTTLETON CONSTITUTION

1.     It made no provision for a second chamber at the centre.

2.     The post of prime minister was not provided for

3.     It did not provide for a unified electoral system throughout the country.

4.     The governor-general still retained his veto powers.

5.     It introduced a revenue allocation formula which emphasized derivation as against need and national interest.

MAJOR SHIFT OF MACPHERSON AND LYTTLETON CONSTITUTION

        The Lyttleton Constitution of 1954 declared Nigeria a federation consisting of three regions, the federal territory of Lagos and the Southern Cameroons. A goal of the constitution was to promote regional autonomy. It was named after Oliver Lyttleton, the then Secretary of the colonies in London.

        The Lyttleton Constitution became reality as a result of perceived defections in the Macpherson Constitution of 1951. In 1953, a constitutional conference was called in London and later in Lagos, the country sent about 20 delegates mainly representatives of the political parties then won prior elections conducted in the country.

        The 1954 constitution can be said to be a text designed to relieved any tension derived from the polarizing effect of a quasi federal political structure by giving regions more powers. It maintained the 50/50 distribution between the North and the South in the federal legislature but members unlike the previous 1951 constitution were to be elected directly from various constituencies in Nigeria.

SUMMARY/CONCLUSION

        The constitution delegates a few services, 68 in total to the central government and the house of representative under the federal legislative list, these powers include aviation, banking, census, copyright, currency, customs, defense, external relations, immigration, mining, police, railway, etc. On the concurrent list the constitution made provide for the selection of regional minister from the regional House of Assemblies and the premier being the leader of dominant party in the legislature.

        The government and individual ministers in the regions maintained power by obtain the confidence of the majority of members in the regional assembly.

        The Lyttleton constitution was enacted in 1954 and it established the federal principle and paved the way for Nigeria’s independence in 1960.

 

REFERENCES

Abubakarr Bah. (2008). Breakdown and Reconstitution: Democracy, The Nation – State, and Ethnicity in Nigeria. p.28-29.