Merits and demerits of the 1979 Presidential Constitution - SS2 Government Lesson Note

Merits of the 1979 Presidential Constitution:

• ·         Protection of Fundamental Human Rights: The Constitution included provisions for the protection of fundamental human rights, such as the right to life, freedom of expression, and freedom of association.
• ·         Separation of Powers: The Constitution provided for the separation of powers among the three branches of government - the executive, legislature, and judiciary - to ensure checks and balances. This helped to prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful and abusing its authority.
• ·         Presidential Term Limits: The Constitution limited the President to a maximum of two four-year terms in office.
• ·         Federalism: The Constitution adopted a federal system of government, with power shared between the federal government and the state governments.
• ·         Independent Judiciary: The Constitution guaranteed the independence of the judiciary and established the National Judicial Council to oversee the appointment and discipline of judges.

Demerits of the 1979 Presidential Constitution:

• ·         Centralized Power: Despite the federal system of government, the 1979 Constitution still gave significant power to the federal government, which could lead to a concentration of power and decision-making in the hands of the federal government.
• ·         Weak Legislature: The bicameral legislature provided for by the Constitution was often criticized for being weak and ineffective in its oversight and legislative functions.
• ·         Lack of Inclusivity: The Constitution was criticized for not being inclusive enough, particularly in terms of gender representation and the rights of minority groups.
• ·         Lack of Popular Participation: The Constitution did not provide for significant popular participation in the political process, which could lead to a sense of alienation and disengagement from the political system among ordinary citizens.
• ·         Inadequate Revenue Sharing: While the Constitution provided for revenue sharing between the federal and state governments, the formula used for sharing revenue was often criticized as being inadequate and unfair, which could lead to tensions between the federal and state governments.