JAMB Government Past Questions & Answers - Page 148

The fear of domination in the public service led to the establishment of the Federal Character refers to distribution of amenities and resources or appointments based on quota system. This is to be applied in the three tiers of government in the country. E.G. Political appointments, Location of Unity secondary Schools, Board, Admission into tertiary in institutions, Location of iron tertiary institutions, Location of iron and Steel Mills.

Some of the Factors responsible for the introduction of Federal Characters include:

1. To ensure Unity, Stability, etc.

2. Discrimination

3. Struggle for Lion's share

4. Fear of Domination.

Privatization and Commercialization programmes in Nigeria have de-emphasized government ownership. This should be clearly seen when we look at the respective definitions of Privatization and Commercialization.

Privatization: This may be defined as the reduction of the burden borne by the government in the provision of goods and services by transferring some of this to the private sector. Full privatization means that government will sell of its controlling shares to the private sector while partial privatization means that reduction of government shares from 60 to 40 percent.

Commercialization: This is the alteration of the capital base of a government company and its modes of operation to enable it engage in business for the sole purpose of making profits.
Companies under full commercialization will no more receive any subvention from the government while those under those under partial commercialization will receive government subvention but will be expected to generate, at least 50 percent of their financial needs from their own operations.

In the Second Republic, the total membership of each House of Assembly was determined by the Constitution. Going through the Structure of the 1979 Constitution, one should be able to realize that the Constitution was similar to the American Presidential system of government with separation of powers; The legislature, the Executive, etc .
Coming to the noted that the National Assembly was made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate was was made up of 450 members 449 have been distributed to the states according to the size and the remaining one being reserved for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Qualified members of the parliament were to be Nigerian citizens up to the age of 30 for the Senate and 21 for the House of Representatives.
Unqualified ones were those with another country's citizenship, lunatics, those under death sentence, undischarged bankrupts, convicts, public servants, etc. The State Assembly was a unicameral legislature which was a unicameral legislature which was made up of Representatives. According to the Constitution, qualified candidates must have attained the age of 21.

The six African members of the Nigerian Council were nominated by the governors. The Council was enlarged after the amalgamation so as to cope with the expected increase in problems resulting from increased territory. It was made up of 36 members consisting of the Governor, members of the Executive Council, First Class Residents, Political Secretaries of Northern and Southern provinces as officials. Europeans representing such interests as chambers of Commerce, shipping, banking, mining and six Nigerians nominated by the governor.

A major problem associated with the Nigerian federalism is ethnic conflicts. There has been inter ethnic contact in the various regions but without discrimination and bitter experiences. The issue of neutralization of Lagos in 1953 would have strongly made Chief Obafemi Awolowo to lead the Yorubas to secede from Nigeria but for the threat of war from the Governor and the Colonial office in London. The real secession which was experienced in Nigeria was that of the then Eastern Region in the year 1967. The secession was as a result of the 1966 military coup which was followed by the pogrom that was perpetrated against the Igbos in the North. The East declared the Republic of Biafra and engaged Nigeria in a civil war from 1967-1970. This question of ethnic conflicts has also given rise to other serious issues such has unending demand for creating more states and acceptable revenue allocation formula.