The Hierarchy of Nigerian Citizens (Leadership Structure)
The leadership structure of citizens in Nigeria outlines the way and manner in which government officials are ranked hierarchically according to the public office they occupy. These political positions according to the 1999 constitution of Nigeria spells out the roles and powers of these various Nigerian citizens.
These government officials occupy the highest positions in the various arms of government of the country be it at the federal or state level. You should be aware that there are three arms of government which includes: Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary.
This write up will outline the various hierarchy of Nigerian citizens and the offices they occupy.
1. The First Citizen in Nigeria
This position is held by the President who is elected and occupies the highest seat in the land. His position as the number one citizen in Nigeria is outlined in the constitution. He has the title as the Grand commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (GCFR) and also the commander of her armed forces. He is in charge of the government of the nation and spear heads the executive arm of the government, appointing ministers who are individually responsible to him. His family is seen as the first family in the country
In a state level, the first citizen is held by the governors of their respective states who according to the constitution is the Chief Security Officer of the state.
2. The Second Citizen in Nigeria
This position is held by the Vice President who is the number two citizen in Nigeria. His powers and duties is also entrenched in the 1999 constitution and he deputizes the President. Upon the death of the president or if he is found incapable to lead, the constitution allows that he be sworn in as the next president, that is he is the next in line. His tittle is Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
In the state level, the position of second or number two citizen is held by the deputy governor of the state and the same rule of swearing-in applies when the governor dies or is deemed unfit to govern the state.
3. The Third Citizen
The Senate president holds this position as the number three citizen in the hierarchy of leadership structure in Nigeria. He is the head of the National Assembly and presides over the upper chambers of the legislative arm of government. If the vice-president dies or is deemed incapable to lead, the constitution allows that he be the next inline to be the president of the country.
At the state level, it is the speaker of the state house of assembly that occupies this position.
4. The Fourth Citizen
The number four citizen in Nigeria is occupied by the speaker of the house of representative. He presides over the lower chamber of the legislative arm of government and has the title Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).
5. The Fifth Citizen
Most people would argue that the Secretary to the Federal Government occupies this position as to the number five citizen of Nigeria but it is not so because the SGF isn’t an elected official so cannot be expected to fill in for an elected official should anything happen. He is just an employee of the president and can be hired (subject to the approval of the senate) and fired at will.
