AP Comp Govt. -- Unit 5 + Nigeria

Unit 5 terms + Nigeria terms

Coup d'etat

A very sudden overthrow of the government by a group of, usually, insiders. In Nigeria’s case, it was often done by the military.

Parastatals

Companies owned or controlled by the state in Developing Nations.

Rentier States

Countries that are dependent on Natural Resources

Structural Adjustment

Economic policies that focus on global integration and privatization.

Sharia Law

Law based on the ideals of fundamental, conservative Islam.

Prebendalism

Patron-client relationship in Nigeria, usually connected to ethnicity and religion.

Transparency

The ability of citizens be able to access information about government decisions and decision-making processes.

Federal Character

Nigerian constitutional principle that appointments to public service institutions fairly reflect the linguistic, ethnic, religious, and geographic diversity of the country.

Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa-Fulani, Ijaw

The four largest tribes in Nigeria.

Republic

A democratic era in Nigeria.

Biafra

Eastern Nigerian region inhabited mostly by the Igbo people; in 1967 attempted unsuccessfully to secede from Nigeria.

MASSOB

A secessionist movement in Nigeria, associated with Igbo nationalism, which supports the recreation of an independent state of Biafra.

Olusegun Obasanjo

Retired Nigerian Army general and former President of Nigeria, the only Nigerian leader to voluntarily hand power to a democratically-elected government.

Revolution

A forcible overthrow of a government or social order by the people.

APC/PDP

Nigerian Political Parties

Nigerian National Assembly

Legislative branch.

Boko Haram

A Nigerian militant Islamist group that seeks the imposition of Sharia.

\#EndSARS

Protest movement against police brutality.

Herder–farmer conflicts

A series of disputes over arable land resources across Nigeria between mostly Muslim Fulani herders and mostly Christian non-Fulani farmers

Parliamentary System

A system of government in which the legislature selects the prime minister and the branches are fused.

Presidential System

A system of government in which the legislative and executive branches operate independently of each other

Head of Government

The executive role that deals with the everyday tasks of running the state, such as formulating and executing policy.

Head of State

The executive role that symbolizes and represents the people both nationally and internationally.

Parliament

A body of representatives that makes laws for a country in a parliamentary government.

MP

Member of Parliament

Prime Minister

Head of government in a parliamentary system.

Coalition Government

When two or more parties join together to form a majority in a national legislature.

Collective Responsibility

In a parliamentary system, the concept that all cabinet members agree on policy decisions and that all will be responsible for the results.

Royal Assent

Final approval by the crown to an act of parliament.

No Confidence Vote

A parliamentary vote which, if successful, terminates the prime minister's appointment

Party Leadership Vote

A vote within a political party to determine who will lead the party.

Prime Minister's Questions

A weekly occurrence while Parliament is in session during which prime ministers must face questions on policy from both the opposition and their own party.

Cabinet

A group of advisers to the president/prime minister/chief executive

Veto

Chief executive's power to reject a bill passed by a legislature.

Veto Override

Reversal of a presidential veto by a two

Impeachment

A formal document charging a public official with misconduct in office and attempt to remove them.

Bureaucracy

A large, complex organization composed of appointed officials that implement policies.

Common Law

A legal system based on customs, court rulings, and precedent.

Coded Law

A legal system based on written laws.

Independent Judiciary

A system of judges and courts that is separate from other branches of government.

Judicial Review

The power of the courts to declare laws and actions unconstitutional.