Re-thinking the Legislature-Executive Relations and the Nigeria's Foreign Policy in the First Eight Years of Fourth Republic

Abstract

This paper examined the legislative/executive brouhaha and Nigeria’s foreign policy, 1999 – 2007. The restoration of democratic rule in May, 1999 was a watershed in Nigeria's foreign policy. A new constitutional democracy headed by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was born and the symbol of democracy, the legislation at both the national and sub – national levels was constituted. The premonition that Nigeria might once again bounce back to prominent global reckoning was obvious from the volume of goodwill that General Abubakar's transition programme generated in the country with the enthronement of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as President and Commander In Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. Not too long after the inauguration of the government, the Legislature and the Executive brouhaha ensured and this had implications for both domestic and foreign policies of the Country. Methodologically, the paper adopted secondary data and content analysis in the scrutiny of the data. The study observed the absence of due process in policy formulation and implementation, amongst others were the major causes of ruckus Legislature and the Executive and recommended effective consultations and accountability as the remedy for rumpus.