LYTTLETON CONSTITUTION OF 1954

Features

Nigeria became truly a Federal state with the constitutional division of powers between the central and regional governments
The speaker of the house of assembly was appointed by the governor from members or non-members of the house
The governor became known as governor-general while lieutenant – governors were designated governors
The judiciary was regionalized
The public service was also regionalized, with different federal and regional public service commission
Premiership: A provision was made for the office of the leader of government Business (premier) at the regional level.

MERITS OF LYTTLETON CONSTITUTION

The constitution formally established federalism
It introduced direct elections into the federal and regional legislatures in Nigeria
There were premiers in the three regions that were Nigerians
It established the offices of speaker and deputy speaker, occupied by Nigerians, in the Legislature
The constitution made ministers heads of departments, having full responsibilities for their ministers.

DEMERITS OF LYTTLETON CONSTITUTION

The constitution still vested some autocratic powers on the governor-general and regional governors
The constitution made the British governor-general continue to be the Executive council by failing to provide for the position of a prime minister who should be a Nigerian.
It did not institute a common electoral system for the whole country.
It instituted a revenue formula which worked on derivation instead of need and national interest
The regional structure encouraged regionalism, ethnicity and national disunity.

THE 1958 CONSTITUTIONAL CONFERENCE

This conference which became the last constitutional conference held before the attainment of Nigerian national independence in 1960, also took place in London from September 29 to October 27, 1958.

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The conference considered some main one of which was the issue of creation of more regions or states to allay the fears of majority ethnic domination of the minority groups. The issue of granting independence to Nigeria was also discussed.