ANAMBRA STATE LEGAL SYSTEM AND PROFILE

Anambra state, with capital at Awaka, derived its name from the Omambala River (commonly called Anambra River), a water way that runs north to south through the state.

The state was created on the 3^rd of February 1976 as one of the first two states carved out of the defunct East Central State of Nigeria. Out of the 1976 Anambra State, Enugu State was further carved out on the 27^th of August, 1991.

Currently, the State covers an area of 4,844 km². It is bounded by Delta State to the west, Enugu State to the east, Imo State to the south and Kogi State to the north. Its population according to the National Population Commission is 3,902,051- Male: 1,983,202; Female: 1,918,849. It has an annual population growth rate of 2.21 percent per annum with 60 percent of its people living in urban areas making it one of the most urbanized places in Nigeria. The State also has one of the lowest poverty rates in Nigeria.

It is credited with 100 percent arable land positioning it as a viable agriculture economy. The State is also rich in natural gas, crude oil, bauxite, and ceramic. A multitude of industries make various corners of Anambra their home offering employment to a significant number of the State’s population.

Anambra State is also known for being the birth place of Nnamdi Azikiwe, independent Nigeria’s first President, Nwafor Orizu, Nigeria’s second Senate President and first acting President (who managed the peaceful transfer of power to the military in 1966), Odimegwu Ojukwu, Nigeria’s first graduate member of the Nigerian military and later, war-leader of the defunct Republic of Biafra, as well as the globally acclaimed writer, Chinua Achebe, author of Things fall apart.

Currently, the State owes its legal existence to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As a State, it is constitutionally mandated to establish:

1. an Executive arm of government headed by an elected Governor;

2. a legislative arm of government which members shall be drawn from constituencies defined in the Constitution. Its activities are presided over by a Speaker elected by the members of the State House of Assembly which oversees the exercise of the State’s legislative energies;

3. a judicial arm made up of judges, magistrates and other officers that help in the administration of justice and related activities within the State. The judicial arm is headed by the State’s Chief Justice. Nonetheless, judicial pronouncement of the State’s tribunals are subject to the appellate review of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Nigeria, in that order;
4. maintain the Local Government level of governance. Presently, the Nigerian Constitution prescribes 21 Local Government Areas for the State; and
5. mobilize the powers of the State, the institutions and resources of  its arms and levels of government in order to secure a socio-economic environment for persons resident in the State and its other stakeholders to pursue legitimate goals in dignity under the State’s justice administration umbrella.

The Anambra State legal system comprises;

1. the compendium of Constitutional provisions applicable to the State as one of the 36 States that constitute the Nigerian Federation;

2. Laws made by the Federal Legislature applicable throughout the entire federation or specifically to Anambra State;
3. Laws made (or deemed to have been made), by the State’s legislature;
4. Customary laws or other customs of the market place applicable under the operation of Law;
5. Laws made by Local Government Councils in the State;
6. Judicial precedents of the courts of the State and of appellate courts with jurisdictions over its tribunals like the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Nigeria;
7. Judicial precedents of federation tribunals like the Federal High Court, the National Industrial Court, Code of Conduct Tribunal, Investments and Securities Tribunal and so on to the extent to which their mandates allow; and
8. Law enforcement institutions, law enforcement officers, judges, legal practitioners, judiciary workers,  other professionals and persons recognized at various levels as part of the justice administration complex of the State.

Sources of Anambra State Legal System include:

1. The Constitution of Nigeria (including its amendments and other laws it refers to expressly as having the same character as provisions contained within the formal Constitutional document;
2. Laws of the Federation of Nigeria;
3. Legislations of the National Assembly applicable to Anambra State;
4. Legislations of the State House of Assembly;
5. Recognized customs of the people of Anambra State;
6. Judicial precedents of courts with judicial authority over Anambra State
7. Local Government Edicts

ANAMBRA STATE BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS

LEGAL SYSTEMS OF THE FEDERATING UNITS OF NIGERIA – 37 STATES/FCT