The Constitution is not a suicide pact The Constitution is not a suicide pact "The Constitution is not a suicide pact" is a phrase in American political and legal discourse. The phrase expresses the belief that constitutional restrictions on governmental power must be balanced against the need for survival of the state and its people. It is most often attributed to Abraham Lincoln, as a response to charges that he was violating the United States Constitution by suspending "habeas corpus" during the American Civil War. Although the phrase echoes statements made by Lincoln, and although versions of the sentiment have been advanced at various times in American
States of Nigeria States of Nigeria In Nigeria, a state (, , ) is a federated political entity that shares sovereignty with the federal government. There are 36 states bound together by a federal agreement. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is not a state and under the direct control of the federal government. The states are further divided into a total of 774 Local Government Areas. Under the Nigerian Constitution, states have the power to ratify constitutional amendments. The Nigerian traditional states predate all the modern states but have no legal or administrative powers. As sovereign entities, States of Nigeria have the right