SOCIAL JUSTICE, FEDERAL CHARACTER AND TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE IN NIGERIA: THE NECESSITY FOR LEGAL COMPROMISE

Abstract

Government is a necessity as man cannot fully realize himself except within an ordered society1. The federalcharacter and social justice principles are incorporated into the Nigeria Constitution to ensure national unity,loyalty and prevention of predominance of persons from a few States or ethnic or other sectional groups in thegovernment of Nigeria or any of its agencies.2 Has the federation maintained any standard in relation to thesetwo principles? Have these constitutional provisions been explored without limitation or in all fairness to hercomponent units in promotion of her unity? Are there options open to the federation in the coming generalelections to ameliorate any effects of the nature of implementation of federal character and social justice? Thework focuses on reviewing the social justice provisions in the constitution in the face of federal character andfurther examines whether social justice application in the form of transitional justice will be panacea to the socialunrest in the politico-legal milieu in Nigeria. The work found that fair exploration and application of these twobasic constitutional principles will engender peace and security and provide a platform for negotiating thecontinued mutual co-existence of the ethnic nationalities within the federation.