Nigeria

How is power divided up?
It is similar to the United States. There are three branches of goverment. There is a bicameral National Assembly consisting of a 360-member House of Representatives and a 109-member Senate. The president heads the executive branch. The executive branch is divided into Federal Ministries, headed by a minister appointed by the President. This is similar to the cabinet in the United States. The judiciary includes a Supreme Court and lower courts. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land. The People's Democratic Party has the majority of seats in both the House of Representatives (260) and the Senate (85). The current President of Nigeria is part of the People's Democratic Party.

How does one gain power?
Power is gained through elections. Elections are through universal suffrage. These elections have not always been fair. Some have been rigged. Since the new constitution was created in 1999, the elections have been more fair and legitimate. Federal ministers in the "cabinet" are chosen by the president. The Senate and the House of Representatives are both are four year terms

Explain the political system.
The legal system is based on English common law, Islamic law, and tribal law. Nigeria is a federal republic. It has thirty-six states, one federal territory, and 774 municipalities. Power resides in the central government, which controls most of the country’s revenues and resources. Critical sectors include security and the Niger Delta (20%); education (8%); transportation (7%); agriculture and water (5%); and energy (5%).

externalities-when an activity produces costs that are involved with the producer or the user