Federalism Presentation : Definitions, Theories and Contentious issues in Nigeria’ s Federalism

According to KC Wheare Federalism is the formal and constitutional division of power between the central and regional government each within its own sphere of influence, coordinate and independent.

The two layers of power should under the constitution or in practice be subordinated to one another. They should both be autonomous in terms of administration, institutional design and jurisdiction.

In this regard the only federal governments are United States, Switzerland, Australia and Canada.

To Wheare there must be sufficiency of economic resources and proper allocation of resources

Federalism as a political organization in which the activities of government are divided between regional governments and a central government in such a way that each kind of government has some activities on which it makes final decisions (Riker 1975:101).

Riker rank federal system on a continuum from minimum to maximum. 

In minimal federalism, the central rulers have at least one area in which it can act without approval of the federation units. (Otherwise, it's an alliance like the UN, not a federal union.)

In maximal federalism, the central rulers can make decisions in all but on (perhaps narrowly restricted) area without approval of the federal units. (Otherwise, it's a fully centralized government, not a federal union.)