Political parties and the legislature

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Periodical article

Title:	Political parties and the legislature
Author:	Ayeni, V.
Year:	1989
Periodical:	Quarterly Journal of Administration
Volume:	24
Issue:	3
Pages:	120-132
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Nigeria
Subjects:	political parties constitutional reform legislative power
Abstract:	This paper starts from the age-long association between the legislature and political parties. Following an examination of conceptual issues relating to the position of political parties in Nigeria, an examination of the role of the legislature under the new Constitution shows that the new Constitution has retained all of the provisions of the 1979 version, designed to establish the effective operation of the legislature, with a few alterations. Next, the position of political parties in the new Constitution is discussed. The most fundamental innovation of the new Constitution is the institution of a two-party system. The author argues that neither the structural provisions on the legislature nor those on political parties themselves provide sufficient ground for confidence about the party system in the Third Republic. Checks on the activities of political parties are not adequate. In conclusion, the author makes suggestions for improvement of the situation. Ref.