Note No. 24/93.
The High Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
presents its compliments to the African Commission on Human and
Peoples' Rights and has the honour to attach herewith the
Periodic Report on Nigerian Human Rights Records in accordance
with Article 62 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples'
Rights.
The High Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria avails
itself of this opportunity to renew to the African Commission
on Human and Peoples' Rights the assurances of its highest
consideration.
1993.
The African Commission
on Human and Peoples' Rights,
Kairaba Avenue,
Pipe Line.
THE PERIODIC REPORT ON NIGERIA'S
HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD TO THE AFRICAN COMMISSION
ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES' RIGHTS: 1ST. APRIL,1993
PERIODIC REPORT SUBMITTED BY THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA UNDER
THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES' RIGHTS
In accordance with the provision of Article 62 of the African
Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, the Government of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria submits the following report to the African
Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Nigeria has always recognised the principles of Human Rights as
enunciated both in the African Charter on HUman and Peoples' Rights
as well as those contained in the International Bill of Human Rights
and has continued to provide necessary milieu for its protection and
observance. Nigeria was one of the first recipients of Human Rights
provisions modelled on the European Convention for the protection of
Human Rights and Fundamental freedoms. In 1959, in advance of her
Independence, Nigeria enshrined the provision's of the European bill
of rights into her Constitution, the 1959 Constitution.
At Independence in 1960 and on assumption of Republican status
in 1963, two written Constitutions containing the provisions of the
bill of rights; the Independence Constitution and the Republican
Constitution were respectively, promulgated on each occasion. The
two Constitutions devoted a whole Chapter each to the recognition
and guarantee of fundamental rights. The courts were imbued with
jurisdiction to hear and determine all matters pertaining to human
rights violations in Nigeria. The rights and freedoms guaranteed by
these Constitutions were categorised under five broad headings as
follows:
(i) Personal rights
(ii) Political and moral rights
(iii) Proprietory rights
(iv) Procedural rights and
(v) Equality rights.
INDEPENDENCE PERIOD TO 1979
2.
In 1966 Nigeria experienced the first military intervention.
For well known acts of political intolerance, hooliganism and even
arson, the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria took
over the reins of government on the 15th of January, 1966 via a
coup d'etat, thus extinguishing the first Republic. Military
administration in the politics of Nigeria should by no means be
seen as total absence of policies geared towards the protection
and observance of human rights; in fact the policy to return to
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civilian rule had always constituted priority concern to all the
military administrations. It was in line with the above policy
and in order to achieve a functional liberal democracy that the
Late General Murtala Mohammed's administration in 1975 constituted
a 50 member Constitution Drafting Committee charged with the
responsibility to devise a Constitution that would
reflect amongst other things an Independent Judiciary. The report
of the Constitution Drafting Committee submitted in 1976, formed the
basis of what was referred to as "the Great Debate" as a result of
the large participation in the Constitution making process by
the Nigerian Citizenry. The draft constitution which emerged thereafter
was given the force of law and promulgated into the 1979 Constitution
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The 1979 Constitution contains
major and significant improvements on the 1960 and 1963 Constitutions.
It is important to note that although Nigeria promulgated in 1989
Constitution Decree No. 12 the provisions thereof are not fully
operative. As provided by the latter, commencement date may be
appointed later where the circumstances so warrant, and in that wise,
commencement date has been fixed for 27th August, 1993. Reference
shall therefore be made only to the 1979 Constitution which is fully
operative. Part of the improvement made was the innovation introduced
in the Nigerian history of constitution - making process of the
provisions on fundamental objectives and directive principles of
state policy as contained in Chapter II of the 1979 Constitution.
The basic principles governing political, economic, social and
cultural life in Nigeria are therein enumerated.
•
Section 14 of the Constitution provides that
"The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a State based on the
principles of democracy and social justice. The State social order
is founded on ideals of Freedom, Equality and Justice.
the Constitution
The following provisions ofil$Ection 17 (2)(a - e)constitute the
guidelines for legislative policies and the background upon which the
fundamental rights in Chapter IV of the Constitution are based.
Section 17 (2)
In furtherance of the social order -
(a) every citizen shall have equality of rights, obligations
and opportunities before the law;
(b) the sanctity of the human person shall be recognised
and human dignity shall be maintained and enhanced;
(c) governmental actions shall be humane;
(d) exploitation of human or natural resources in any
form whatsoever for reasons other than the good of
the community shall be prevented; and
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3
(e) the independence, impartiaity and integrity of courts of
law, and easy accessibility thereto shall be secured and
maintained.
It is important to state that the provisions on fundamental rights set
out in sections 30 - 40 of Chapter IV of the Constitution remain
unchanged inspite of the Constitution (Suspension and Modification)
Decree No. 17 of 1985. The language of Chapter IV on fundamental
rights is mandatory and more positive than that of the earlier
Constitutions. The provisions are briefly introduced below:
Section 30 - RIGHT TO LIFE
"Every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived
intentionally of his life, same in execution of the sentence of a
court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found
guilty in Nigeria";
Section 31 - RIGHT TO DIGNITY OF HUMAN PERSON
"Every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his
person and accordingly - no person shall not be held in slavery or
servitude and no person shall be required to perform forced or
compulsory labour; the Nigerian Government does not apply forced
labour as a means of political coecion or as a sanction against free
expression. Nigeria has ratified the International Labour Organisation
Convention and is therefore subject to its provisions;
Section 32 - RIGHT TO PERSONAL LIBERTY
"Every person shall be entitled to his personal liberty and no
person shall be deprived of such liberty same as provided by law in
the subsections of this section;
Section 33 - RIGHT TO FAIR HEARING
"A person shall be entitled to a fair hearing within a reasonable
time by a court or other tribunal established by law, and constituted
in such manner as to secure its independence and impartiality Section 34 - RIGHT TO PRIVATE AND FAMILY LIFE
"The privacy of citizens, their homes, correspondence telephone
conversations and telegraphic communications is hereby_
protected.
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Section 35 - RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF THOUGHT, CONSCIENCE AND RELIGION
" Every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience
and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief, and
freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or
in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in
worship, teaching, practice and observance;
Section 36 - RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND THE PRESS
"Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression including
freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information
without interference.
Nigeria operates one of the freest press in the World. With many
privately owned print media houses of daily newspapers, soft journals and
the electronic media;
Section 37 - RIGHT TO PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY AND ASSOCIATION
"Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate
with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any
political party trade union or any other association for the protection
of his interests.
Section 38 - RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT
"Every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout
Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof, and no citizen of Nigeria
shall be expelled from Nigeria or refused entry thereto or exit
therefrom;
Section 39 - RIGHT TO FREEDOM FROM DISCRIMINATION
"A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community ethnic group place
of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by reason only
that he is such a person be subjected either expressly by, ro in the practical application
of any law in force or any executive or administrative action of the
government to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens
of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex,
religions, or political opinions are not made subject;
It is worthy to note that the above mentioned section provides the
corner - stone upon which the implementation of the International
Convention on the Elimination of all forms of racial discrimination is
based.
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Section 40 - PROVIDES RIGHT AGAINST COMPULSORY ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY
No movable property or any interest in an immovable property shall
be taken possession of compulsorily and no right over or interest in any
such property shall be acquired compulsorily in any part of Nigeria
except in the manner and for the purposes prescribed by a law amongst
other things.
THE CONSTITUTION: THE LEGISLATURE, EXECUTIVE AND JUDICIARY
3. The doctrine of separation of powers, one of the basic principle
in a democratic system; that is the clear separation and mutual
independence of the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary is
reflected in the 1979 Constitution. SEctions 43 & 84 provide for
the Legislature, a National Assembly and a House of Assembly for each
State;
The offices of the President and the Governor of a State in terms of
the Executive are provided for in sections 122 and 162 respectively; and
provisions on the Judicature are contained in Chapter VII of the
Constitution. The judiciary is independent in the discharge of its
functions. It must be mentioned that the independence of the judiciary
is guaranteed through the security of tenure of judges as entrenched in
the Constitution. A judge cannot be removed from office once appointed
until reaching the age of retirement same for inability to perform
his functions or for misbehaviour.
3.1.
THE JUDICIARY
Nigeria operates a {our tier - judicial system, namely the Supreme
(i) the Supreme Court which is the highest court of the land;
(ii) the Court of Appeal, the Sharia Court of Appeal of State and the
Customary Court of Appeal of a State;
(iii) the High Court of a State - this category of Court has inlimited
jurisdiction to hear and determine any civil proceedings in which
the existence or extent of a legal right, power, duty etc is in
issue;
(iv) and the Magistrate Court and Customary Courts.
3.2.
SPECIAL JURISDICTION OF HIGH COURT AND LEGAL AID
The provisions of section 42 (1) (2) (3) of the Constitution here
under contained constitute significant improvement on the earlier constitutions.
Section 42 (1) Any person who alleges that any of the provisions of this
Chapter has been, is being or likely to be contravened in
any State in relation to him may apply to a High Court in
that State for redress.
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(2) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, a High
Court shall have original jurisdiction to hear and
determine any application made to it in pursuance of the
provisions of this section and may make such orders,
issue such writs and give such directions as it may
consider appropriate for the purpose of enforcing or
securing the enforcement within that State of any rights
to which the person who makes the application may be
entitled under the Chapter.
(3) The Chief aistice of Nigeria may make rules with respect
to the practice and procedure of a High Court for the
purposes of this section.
The Nigerian Courts are still vested with the power to enforce
human rights and fundamental provisions of the Constitution not
with standing the amendment of the Constitution (suspension and
modification) Decree No. 17 of 1984 by the Constitution (Suspension
and modification) (Amendment) Decree No. 17 of 1985. The Courts
continue to entertain complaints of infringement or anticipatorty
infringements of fundamental rights. On procedure for enforcement
of fundamental rights, the Nigerian Supreme Court in Alhaji Dahiru
Saude Vs Alhaji Halliru Abdullahi, 4 Nigerian Weekly Law Reports page
387, unanimously held that the manner in which an application for
•
enforcement of fundamental rights under Chapter 4 of the 1979
Constitution is brought, is irrelevant once it is clear that such
application seeks redress for infringement of the rights so
guaranteed under the Constitution. In Alhaji Abbas Tafida Vs
Alhaji Sa'adu Abubakar and others (1992) 3 NWLR page 511 the Federal
Court of Appeal held that the High Court has jurisdiction by virtue
of Order I rule 3(i) of the fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure)
Rules, 1979 to enlarge the time within which to commence an action for
the enforcement of fundamental rights after the expiration of the
prescribed period of twelve months. In Gani Fawehinmi Vs The State (1990)
I NWLR page 487, Babalakin. J.C.A. applied the ruling of the Supreme
Court in the case of Aroyewun Vs Adebanji (1976) II S.C.33 where it was
stated that unsuspended provisions of the Constitution would be strictly
adhered to and that obedience to our Constitution should be the mood of
the Nation.
4.
HUMAN RIGHTS AND ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE
The efficacy of constitutional and indeed any other fundamental
rights provision depends on the attitude of the courts to its
infringement.
Under the 1979 Constitution, human rights provisions directly
relevant to the administration of Criminal Justice relate to the
right of life (section 30); the right to dignity of the human
person (section 31); the right to liberty (section 32); and the
right to fair hearing (section 33). They also constitute pre-trial
constitutional rights. Various statutory provisions implement
or perhaps supplement the pre-trial constitutional guarantee. The
Criminal procedure Cap 43, Laws of Nigeria 1990 and its counterpart
the Criminal Procedure Code Cap. 30, Laws of Nigeria 1990, as well
as the POlice Act Cap 154 contained in the Laws of Nigeria 1990 as
amended provide in details the manner or form of arrest, treatment
and custody of arrested persons and also conditions for their bail.
In Augustine Eda V. Commissioner of Police, (1982) 2 NCLR 21 the
Court of Appeal stated that the power of the police not to grant
bail if the offence appears to the officer to be of a serious
nature under the Criminal Procedure Act and the Police Act is more
restrictive of liberty than is permitted by section 32 of the
1979 Constitution. That the section does not recognise a residual
right in a police officer to determine that an arrested person
or
be denied bail because the offence appears to the officer to be a
serious nature and consequently declared section 17 of the Act and
Section 23 of the Police Act invalid.
In Otapo & Ors V. Sunmonu & Ors, (1987) 2 NSCC 667, the Supreme
Court concluded that "the true text of a fair hearing is the
impression of a reasonable person who was present at the trial,
whether from his observations, justice has been done in the case.
The Supreme Court held in Ariori & Ors V. Elemo & Ors (1983)
N.S.C.C. 1, that an inordinate delay between conclusion of
evidence and delivery of judgement violates section 33 (4) of the
1979 Constitution which guarantees a fair and speedy trial within
a reasonable time. The pro-rights stance of the judiciary is in
no doubt in view of all the above.
5 . LEGAL AID DIVISION
Part of the significant differences in the 1979 Constitution was the
introduction of legal aid provisions and the establishment of the Legal
Aid Division. It was a most wellcome addition in view of the prevalent
economic climate. It is important to note that legal aid had already
been introduced by the Legal Aid Act of 1976 in criminal cases which
became expanded due to the Constitutional recognition of the right to
legal aid in cases regarding allegations of infringemnet of a citizen's
fundamental rights. The Constitutional provision states as follows:
that the National Assembly shall make provisions: -(Section 42 (4) (B) (i)
(ii));
(i) for the rendering of financial assistance to any indigent
citizen of NIgeria where his right under this Chapter has been
infringed or with a view enabling him to engage the services
of a legal practitioner to prosecute his claim, and
(ii) for ensuring that allegations of infringement of such
rights are substantial and the requirement or need for
financial or legal aid is real.
The present administratio nin recognition of the equal importance of legal representation
in civil matters promulgated the Legal Aid Amendment Decree
No. 10 of 1986 which extended the services of Legal Aid to include
civil cases as opposed to only criminal cases.
It may be noted that Nigeria has a virile bar.
5.
HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION
After a military interregnum that spanned the period between
1966 and 1979, the Armed Forces inaugurated another civilian government
in October 1979. Following the highhanded and immaturity of the
politicians, the second attempt of Nigerians of democracy crashed
on the 31st. of December 1983 and through another Coup d'etat the
military intervened. During the period , most high ranking politicians
were arrested and detained en mass. MOst of them were tried and
convicted by tribunals. Sentences were severe amongst other things.
The situation generated tension and frustration.
It was against this background that the Babangida Administration,
took over government on the 27th of August, 1985. It is gratifying to
note that between then and now, the present administration has taken
very many active measures to improve the human rights posture of the
nation. This administration is committed to a functioning democracy.
6.1.
ACTIVE MEASURES TOWARDS IMPROVING THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION
(1)
The controversial Public Officers (Protection from
False Accusation) Decree No. 4 of 1984 which suppressed
Press Freedom and under which two journalists were sent
to jail by the previous military administration was repealed
and the two journalists granted state pardon;
(ii) All persons detained without charge or trial were released.
This fact is confirmed in the report published by the UNited
.../ 8
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States Committee on Foreign Relations on Human Rights in Nigeria for
1985 and 1986;
(iii) The following Special review Tribunals were set up to review
cases of those tried and sentenced under the draconian Decrees
of the last Administration, some of which prescribed death
sentences as punishment for offences created therein and which
also disallowed appeals;
(a) Tribunal to review cases of those tried and convicted for
officers under the Recovery of Public Property (Special
Military Tribunals) Decree No. 3 of 1984.
(b) Tribunal to review cases of those convicted under Decree 7,
Exchange Control (Anti-Sabotage) of 1984.
(c) Tribunal to review cases of those convicted under the Special
Tribunal (Miscellaneous Offences) Decree No. 20 of 1984.
(iv) The Decrees themselves were also reviewed and the death sentence
previously prescribed for the offences of drug trafficking, unlawful
dealing in petroleum products and counterfeiting of currency were
abolished and replaced by a maximum of life improsonment. Furthermore,
the prescription of a "minimum sentence" of 21 years imprisonment
for some of the offences was amended to read "maximum sentence";
(v) A right of appeal to the Special Appeal Tribunal was established
by the Recovery of Public Property (Special Military Tribunals)
(Amendment) Decree No. 21 of 1986, for any person by any of the
Special Military Tribunals;
(vi)The present Administration has promulgated the Trade Unions
(Disqualification of Certain Persons) (Repeal) Ddcree No. 9 of
1987 whereby it lifted the ban on certain persons from belonging
to or holding any offices in any trade union and from participating
in the management of the affairs of any trade union;
(vii) The Administration also lifted the ban imposed on the Nigerian
Medical Association (the National Association of Resident Doctors)
by the previous Administration;
(viii) The Newswatch (Prescription and prohibition from circulation) Decree
No. 6 of 1987 which was promulgated as a result of an abuse and
breach of the Official Secret Act 1962 has been repealed and the
Publishers involved, pardoned;
(ix) The right of the public to discuss the country's political future
which was banned by the previous Military administration was lifted
by the seiting up of a "Political Bureau" to organise discussions,
deliberate and make recommendations on the future political programme
.../10
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for Transition to Civil Rule and the future political system
for Nigeria. After the Political Bureau ended its public
sittings in September, 1986 its Report was considered by the
Federal Military Government and for the purposes of a smooth
transition to civil rule, it promulgated the Transition to
Civil Rule (Political Programme) Decree No. 19 of 1987.
6.2. LAW REVIEW REVISION AND REFORM
Since the inception of the present administration law have been used
as an instrument of social engineering. Programmes on law review, revision
reform and reporting are consciously carried on in Nigeria. There had
been a review of all pre - 1900 English Statutes of general application
several of which were completely obsolete and out of tune with our sociocultural realities and ethos. To have continued the application of
those laws would not have been in furtherance of human rights. Nigeria
now has her basic laws revised, and contained in the Laws of the
Federation 1990.
There was also a compilation and publication of all Treaties entered
into by Nigeria from 1970 - 1990, and the Nigeria Companies and Allied
Matters Decree No. 1 of 1990 which reviewed the old Company's Act. The
project of Law reporting has been revived; in March 1991, new sets of All
Nigerian Law Reports 1961 - 1990 was launched.
6.3.
Nigeria has many activities in place geare-d towards public awareness
and enlightenment based amongst others on the principles of the African
Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and Universal Declaration of
Human Rights.
Schools and University Curricula for law and Social SCiences include
teachings on constitutional law and human rights; the Nigeria Police
College teaches principles of human rights. The Nigerian Prisons Authority
Staff also undergo basic teachings on the same.
In furtherance of human rights, Nigeria's educational policy is to
promote and ensure mass literacy. Section 18 of the Constitution States
that "Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are
equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels".
Government shall strive to eradicate illiteracy and shall as and when
practicable provide:(a) free compulsory and universal primary education;
(b) free secondary education;
(c) free university education and
(d) free adult literacy programme.
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It is important to mention that the nomadic tribes of Nigeria
constitutes one of such priorities hence nomadic education was introduced
vide the establishment of the National Commission for Nomadic Education
Decree No. 41 of 1989.
6.4.
HUMAN RIGHTS TRAINING PROGRAMME UNDERTAKEN BY NIGERIANS
(i) The Nigerian INstitute of Advanced Legal Studies carries out
researches and publishes books on contemporary legal issues.
specifically series of research were conducted on Human Rights and
Administration of Criminal Justice in collaboration with the Ford
Foundation which are presently contained in a publication
titled "Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (N.I.A.L.S.)
Research Series No. 1. Human Rights and the administration of
Justice of Criminal Justice in Nigeria"
(ii) Nigeria has held or partcipated in a number of Training
Seminars/Workshops on human rights as follows to mention a few:
(a) International Seminar on human rights and socio-economic
progress held in Cotonou, Peoples' Republic of Benin, 1988;
(b) International Seminar on Human Rights Towards better
Protection and Enforcement of HUman Rights, Lagos 1992;
(c) Legal Aid, Human Rights and Social Justice: Public
Englightenment Seminar - Kaduna 1989
(d) National Multi - disciplinary Workshop on Human Rights
held at the University of Calabar - November, 1987;
(e) Workshop on Human Rights TRaining for Commonwealth Public
Officials held in Banjul, the Gambia, 1989.
(f) Int. Seminar on HR. Lagos, 1991.
6.5.
NATIONAL INSTITUTION FOR THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Apart from the REgular courts and TRibunals Nigeria for the past
two decades had established the office of the Public Complaints
Commissioner who handles complaints referred to him by aggrieved individuals,
groups and corporate bodies alike. Furthermore, a code of Conduct Bureau
was established to ensure probity of Senior Public Officers by declaring
their assets prior and after public service.
It is gratifying to report that Nigeria has established a Human
Rights Monitoring Unit under the Federal Ministry of Justice. The
objective of the UNit is to enhance the implementation of Human Rights
Instruments. The UNit is designed to receive petitions and complaints
on human rights violation. It has the responsibility of preparing reports,
guidelines and codes of conduct for circulation amongst government
departments and Law Enforcement Agencies. State governments have also
been requested to establish similar units in their Justice Departments.
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The Nigerian Law Reform Commission reviews national law from time
to time in order to keep the laws in tune with contemporary legal issue.
6.6. MASS MOBILISATION FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RECONSTRUCTION
In view of limited national resources vis-a-vis the Nigerian
population, the Federal Government in 1986 established two basic institution
namely: Mass Mobilisation for social and economic reconstruction (MAMSER)
and the Directorate of Food, Roadsand Rural Infrastructure DFRRI. The
primary objective of MAMSER is to inform and mobilise the general
populace vis-a-vis their economic, social and cultural rights, plus politic
and civil rights whilst that of DFRRI is to ensure equitable and nationwide distribution of limited national resources particularly in the
rural areas.
6.7. TRANSITION TO CIVIL RULE
In the area of politics, the present administration had done a great
deal to carry politics to the grass roots and every door step, and has
also re-awaken citizens' exercise of political rights. Indeed it has
been quite revolutionary in formulating the programme for transition
to civil rule, which was promulgated in the TRansition to Civil Rule (
Political Programme) Decree No. 19 of 1987. To further ensure polilleal
rights of Nigerians in 1989 the Transition to Civil Rule (Political
Parties Registration and Activities) Decree No. 27 was
promulgated.
The position presently is that both former and present government
officials and politicians may engage in political activities and run for
elections) (Miscellaneous - Provision) in 1991, those politicians earlier
arrested were released, and all Nigerians except those convicted of
offences committed while in public office can participate in politics.
Further on the transition programme in 1991 an International Conference
was held at Abuja, Nigeria on Democracy and the Law, where participants,
were addressed on the system of democracy OnieagPmer Vice President
of the United States of America.
The law allows two political parties in Nigeria. The Social Democractic
Party which is a little to the left and the National Republican
Convention which is a little to right. In their different manifestos,
they both uphold the basic principles of fundamental rights, uplifting
the general standards of the citizenry and in all, ensuring compliance
with the tenets of Nigeria's Constitution.
Significant progress has been made on the implementation of the
transition programme towards democractic civil rule. Local government
elections were successfully conducted. Elections into State Assemblies
and Governorship positions have also been held. Specifically, as part
of the transition programme, a formular for election was evolved called
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Option A4 which has been designed to spread - out the geographical
area from which the President emerges. Presidential party elelctions
have been held at the ward level, the local government level, the
state level and the national level. As part of the transition programme
a national census was conducted in November, 1991.
The above programme was in futherance of the International Convenants
on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and Civil and Political Rights
to which Nigeria has acceded.
PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS
Women's Rights/Piromotion
'Nigeria is on-going and enjoy maximum and full support
of the government. In this regard, the Nigeria's Better Life for Rural
Women Programme has greatly contributed to the present awareness amongst
Nigerian women of their economic strength especially in the rural areas.
Each state of the Federation has its own CHapter of Better Life Programme
which won an International Award for Nigeria's First Lady.
There are also the National Council of Women's Society and the National
Commission on Women. These bodies assist in promoting and protecting
the rights of women and children by organising seminars, workshops,
symposia to publicize their course. Following one of such seminars, the
book titled, "Women and Children under Nigerian Law" was published.
CONCLUSION
In clear support of the International Bill of Human Rights)Nigeria
ratified the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and is
party to the following Uhited Nations Conventions on Human Rights:
(1) International Convenant on Economic, Social- and Cultural rights
Nigeria has accede;
(2) International Convenant on Civil•and Political rights
(3) International Convention on the B.limination of all norms of Racial
Discrimination;
(4) Convention on the EPlimination of allFForms of )Discrimination against
Wpmen;
(5) International Convention on the Suppression and ?Rinishment of the
Crime of Apartheid;
(6) Convention relating to the Status of Refugees;
(7) Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees;
(8) Convention on the Political Rights of Women;
(9) Slavery Convention signed at Geneva on 25th. Sept. 1926 and amended
by the Protocol done at the Headquarters of the United Nations
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(10) Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Consecutive governments of Nigeria has reaffirmed that human
rights are a fundamental policy of their administrations. The
active role of Nigeria in the African Charter is a strong commitment
to the policy. The indications are that human rights have a bright
future in the country.
Finally, the Government of Nigeria has always,remains committed to the
recognition and respect of the principles of human rights and shall
continue to pursue its fundamental objectives on foreign policy which
is to promote African Unity as well as total political, economic, social
and cultural liberation of Africa and all other forms of International
co-operation for the consolidation of universal peace.
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