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MCPHERSON CONST-WPS Office

Macpherson constitution

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Temmy Lyee
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29 views4 pages

MCPHERSON CONST-WPS Office

Macpherson constitution

Uploaded by

Temmy Lyee
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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MCPHERSON CONSTITUTION OF 1951

The Richard's Constitution was severely critized by the Nationalists, because it


imposed on Nigerians without any prior consultation. In order to express the
criticisms, the nationalists of the National council for Nigeria and Cameroons
Hedbert Macaulay and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe toured important towns in the country
educated the people on the political issues at stake and collected donations to send
a protest delegation to London.

It was partly because of this protest that, the Richard's constitution which originally
was intended to last for nine years, was replaced in 1951 by the McPherson
constitution. It's author, Sir John McPherson, who succeeded Sir, Athur Richard as
Governor, was sensitive to the criticisms that the Richard's constitution had not
been based on prior consultation with the Nigerians. He therefore allowed three
years, from 1948 to 1951, for public opinion on his proposals to be expressed at
district, provincial and regional levels. The various recommendations were
considered and many of them included in the final version of the new constitution.

The Main Features of McPherson Constitution.

The basic features of McPherson are:

 The constitution ensured the reliance of the region on the central


government. For instance, the lieutenant - Governor could only exercise his
reserved power of legislation with the agreement of the Governor at the
centre. Also, the central legislature could withdraw or add any matter from
the regibnai^lve list.
 The central legislature was empowered to legislate in all three federation and
had powers to veto proposed legislation. In the North, the legislative powers
were exercised but the House Assembly and the House of chiefs. Likewise
in the West. However, the power was exercised by only the House of
Assembly in the East.
Western Region, 80 members were elected 7 were not elected. In the Eastern
Region, 80 members were elected while 8 others were appointed.
 The Regional House of Assembly were empowered to legislate on certain
matters. However such legislation was not exclusive as it could be
upturned by the Governor.
 The constitution made provision for revenue allocation to the region.
The Strengths and Weaknesses of McPherson Constitution.
The strengths of the constitution include the following:-
 The constitution introduced a new central law - making body called the
House of Representatives.
 Each region was represented in the House of Representatives. For
example, North had 68 seats, East and West had 34 seats each.
 The regions were given more powers and made autonomous.
 Both the North and West now had bicameral legislature, for example,
House of Assembly and Chiefs.
 The motion was moved in the House of Representatives and discussed
at 1953's London Constitutional Conference. It laid the foundation for the
process of decolonization of Nigeria.
 Powers were shared between t he regions and the central govern. The
constitution defined their powers, making the regions subordinate to the
central government.

For the first time, Nigerians took part in the making of the constitution,

through constitutional conferences.

It stimulated the formation and development of political parties

The Weaknesses of the Constitution.


The weaknesses of the constitution include the following:-

 The existence of Regional/Ethnic politics which succeeded in weakening


the central legislative, for example, the representative at the centre were
more loyal to their regions.
 There was no responsible government at the centre, for example, ministers
were not given portfolios, but could initiate discussion of policy in the
council.
 The exclusion of Nnamdi Azikiwe from the central legislature led to the
crisis in the Eastern House of Assembly.
 Chief Anthony Enahoro in 1953, moved the motion in the House of
Representatives requesting for self-government for Nigeria in 1956. The
motion was rejected by Northern politicians and it caused bad blood
between Northern and Southern politicians.
 The Kano riot of 1953, this riot demonstrated the weakness and failure of
McPherson constitution.
 The constitution provided for an all powerful governor with veto power to
legislate on any matter in the country.
 The three major political parties the NCNC NPC, and AG were all
regional parties. Infact, none of them commanded a nation -wide support.

In 1953, crisis erupted with the NCNC as a party and the out come of this was the
expulsion of some party members. The expelled members formed a new party
called United Independent Party (UIP).

There was no provision for the office of a Prime Minister as the head of
government in the country and premiers of the regions; whereas the offices of
Council of Ministers and regional executive council were created at the central and
regional levels of government respectively.

The Lieutenant - Governors of the regions were member of both the regional
legislature and the House of Representatives.

The constitution encouraged ethnic nationalism and the emergence of political


parties along tribal lines for example, NPC and A.G.

The Constitutional Conference of 1953.

As we all know, if your house is on fire, you don't wait till the house collapses
before you start salvaging it. That is why the two political parties in the South.
NCNC and AG called upon the British authorities to do something about the crisis
and tensions generated by the crises. This led to the constitutional conference of
1953 where each of the regions were represented by six persons.

Parts of their recommendations were:


 That legislative power should be shared between the centre and the
federating regions. Also residual powers are to be in the region.
 That a regional administration be extended to Cameroon if the people so
desired in a referendum.
 That Lagos should be ostracized from the Western Region and be a neutral
entity.
 That self government be granted to the region in 1956.

In 1954, the Lagos Conference was convened to reconsider outstanding issues


in the 1953 conference. Part of the recommendations made were:-

The regionalization of public service and judiciary

That autonomy be granted to Southern Cameroon.

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