Democracy assitance & elections news from the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS)
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Country Profile:

Upcoming Elections

  • Presidential (Tentative)
    January 2011
  • Parliamentary (Tentative)
    January 2011

Nigeria
  • Nigeria
  • Federal Republic of Nigeria
  • Region: Africa

Description of government structure:

  • Chief of State: President Umaru Musa YAR'DUA *
  • Head of Government: President Umaru Musa YAR'DUA
  • Assembly: Nigeria has a bicameral National Assembly consisting of the Senate with 109 seats and the House of Representatives with 360 seats.

* The president is both the chief of state and head of government.
The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term). An absolute majority or at least 25% in two-thirds of the states is required for a candidate to be elected in the first round.

Description of electoral system:

  • The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 4-year term.
  • In the Senate 109 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms*. In the House of Representatives 360 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms.

* Three members are elected from each of the 36 states and one from Abuja.

Population:

  • Population: 131,859,731 (July 2006 est.)

Future elections

  • Presidential - January 2011
  • Parliamentary - January 2011

Past elections

Last Updated on 02/04/2010

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