Section 318 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria

Section 318 of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 is about Interpretation. It is under Part IV (Interpretation, citation and commencement) of Chapter VIII (Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and general supplementary provisions) of the Constitution.

(1) In this constitution, unless it is otherwise expressly provided or the context otherwise requires-
“Act” or “Act of the National Assembly” means any law made by the National Assembly and includes any law which takes effect under the provisions of this Constitution as an Act of the National Assembly;

“appointment” or its cognate expression includes appointment on promotion and transfer or confirmation of appointment;

“area council” means each of the administrative areas within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja;
“authority” includes government;
“belong to” or its grammatical expression when used with reference to a person in a State refers to a person either of whose parents or any of whose grandparents was a member of a community indigenous to that State;

“civil service of the Federation” means service of the Federation in a civil capacity as staff of the office of the President, the VicePresident, a ministry or department of the Government of the Federation assigned with the responsibility for any business of the Government of the Federation;

“civil service of the State” means service of the Government of a State in a civil capacity as staff of the office of the Governor, Deputy Governor or a ministry or department of the Government of the State assigned with the responsibility for any business of the Government of the State;

“Code of Conduct” refers to the Code of Conduct contained in the Fifth Schedule to this Constitution;
[Fifth Schedule]
“Commissioner” means a Commissioner of the Government of a State;

“Concurrent Legislative List” means the list of matters set out in the first column in Part II of the Second Schedule to this Constitution with respect to which the National Assembly and a House of Assembly may make laws to the extent prescribed, respectively, opposite thereto in the second column thereof;

“decision” means, in relation to a court, any determination of that court and includes judgment, act, order, conviction, sentence or recommendation;
“enactment” means provision of any law or a subsidiary instrument;
“Exclusive Legislative List” means the list in Part I of the Second Schedule to this Constitution;
[Part I Second Schedule]

“existing law” has the meaning assigned to it in section 315 of this Constitution;
“federal character of Nigeria” refers to the distinctive desire of the peoples of Nigeria to promote national unity, foster national loyalty and give every citizen of Nigeria a sense of belonging to the
nation as expressed in section 14 (3) and (4) of this Constitution;

“Federation” means the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
“financial year” means any period of twelve months beginning on the first day of January in any year or such other date as the National Assembly may prescribe;
“function” includes power and duty;
“government” includes the Government of the Federation, or of any State, or of a local government council or any person who exercises power of authority on its behalf;

“Governor” or “Deputy Governor” means the Governor of a State or a Deputy Governor of a State;
“House of Assembly” means the House of Assembly of a State;
“judicial office” means the office of Chief Justice of Nigeria or a Justice of the Supreme Court, the President or Justice of the Court of Appeal, the office of the Chief Judge or a Judge of the Federal High Court, the office of the President or Judge of the National Industrial Court, the office of the Chief Judge or Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the office of the Chief Judge of a State and Judge of the High Court of a State, a Grand Kadi or Kadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, a President or Judge of the Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, a Grand Kadi or Kadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal of a State, or President or a Judge of the Customary Court of Appeal of a State; and a reference to a “judicial officer” is a reference to the holder of any such office;

“law” means a law enacted by the House of Assembly of a State;
“legislative house” means the Senate, House of Representatives or a House of Assembly.

“local government area” or “local government council” includes an area council;
“member” when used with reference to any commission or other bodies established by this Constitution, includes the Chairman of that commission or body;
“Minister” means a Minister of the Government of the Federation;
“National Assembly” means the Senate and the House of Representatives established by this Constitution;
“oath” includes affirmation;
“Oath of Allegiance” means Oath of Allegiance prescribed in the Seventh Schedule to this Constitution;
[Seventh Schedule]

“office” when used with reference to the validity of an election, means any office the appointment to which is by election under this Constitution;