The Executive Arm of Government

Abstract

Government is the sum total of legislative, executive and judicial activities, irrespective of the existing political system and ideological persuasion. The executive in many political systems is the most obvious and developed arm of government. This chapter explains the significance of the executive arm of government in Nigeria’s democratic governance. It focuses specifically on the President and the presidency under the 1979, 1989 and 1999 federal constitutions. This chapter identifies challenges facing this arm of government and democratic governance in general that must be addressed to avert the collapse of the Fourth Republic.