Macpherson Constitution of 1951 - SS2 Government Lesson Note

The Macpherson Constitution of 1951 was a significant milestone in Nigeria's constitutional history. It was named after Sir John Macpherson, who was then the Governor-General of Nigeria.

The main objective of the Macpherson Constitution was to introduce some measure of representative government in Nigeria. Under this constitution, the country was divided into three regions: Northern, Western, and Eastern regions. Each region had a regional assembly and an executive council.

The constitution also created a central legislative council with limited powers. The members of the council were appointed by the Governor-General, but some of them were elected indirectly by the regional assemblies. The council had the power to make laws on certain subjects, such as defense, foreign affairs, and communications.

Furthermore, the Macpherson Constitution introduced some reforms in the local government system. It created new local government councils in the regions and allowed for some level of local autonomy. It also allowed for the direct election of some members of the regional assemblies.