Nigerian senators from the country’s southern and northern regions have expressed differing views about the movement to bring back a regional form of government, according to a story published by Vanguard News. This conversation took place at a two-day retreat on 1999 Constitution changes that was sponsored by the Senate Committee on Constitution Review and the Policy and Legal Advocacy Center (PLAC) in Kano.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
Senators from the northern region expressed strong opposition to the idea, while their southern counterparts welcomed it as a potential means to enhance the economy, address insecurity, and accelerate infrastructural development. However, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele clarified that regionalism was not on the agenda of the ongoing constitutional review.
Abdul Ningi, a senior senator from Bauchi Central Senatorial District, articulated his constituents’ refusal to support the idea, citing a lack of development during the regional governance system of the defunct First Republic. He stated, “I have heard so much about regional government or federalism, and I have heard people canvassing for such ideas. For a start, no matter how you see it, the current document (1999 Constitution) is still the grundnorm. It has also stipulated how it is going to be amended.”
Ningi continued, emphasizing that not everyone claiming to represent a specific ethnic group in the National Assembly has the legitimate mandate to advocate for such proposals. “The only people that are given this mandate to look at the Constitution and amend it are, of course, members of the National Assembly,” he noted. He expressed his constituents’ disinterest in regional government, advocating instead for reforms within the current federal structure and fiscal federalism.
Senator Sani Musa, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, advised against confusing the establishment of zonal development commissions with regionalism. “It is wrong for anybody to think that the development commissions being established for the six geopolitical zones are a plan towards regionalism. It is not,” he asserted. He urged proponents of regionalism to present their proposals through bills in the National Assembly to gauge their popularity.
Former Senate Leader Ali Ndume added that the concept of true federalism is outdated, as many African nations have moved away from it. He advocated for the establishment of robust institutions to promote good governance and combat corruption and insecurity. “When the government puts these in place, there won’t be clamour for true federalism because there will be justice, equity, and fairness in all regions of the country,” he stated.
Senator Muntari Dandutse, representing Katsina South Senatorial District, also opposed regional governance. He emphasized that the retreat aimed to address defects in the nation’s constitution over the years. “What is important is that we should have good governance and credible and responsible access to the resources that we have because Nigeria is blessed,” he said.
In contrast, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari from Oyo North Senatorial District defended the regional system, recalling its past successes. “Recall that the regions were able to harness their resources in the First Republic,” he stated. “When you make the center less attractive, you cut off corruption… People will watch their team within their locality or within their region.”
When questioned about a specific agenda for the ongoing constitution review from the South West region, Buhari indicated that it would be revealed at the appropriate time. “We don’t want to disclose that agenda yet,” he noted.
Despite these discussions, Senate Leader Bamidele reiterated that the topic of regionalism could not be altered through a simple constitutional amendment. “Going back to a regional form of governance is something that will go beyond a bill being sponsored… It’s not something that you sit down in a public hearing room and organize a public hearing to take a decision on,” he explained.
Bamidele further stressed the complexities of amending the constitution, emphasizing the need for political consensus and public buy-in. “Why is it so difficult to amend even one section of the constitution, let alone discard the entire constitution? To amend a single provision in the constitution today requires extensive legislative processes,” he concluded.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
