Follow Us on Google
…As Gov. Mbah, Pastor Eze bag honorary degrees
From Fred Itua, Kano
Alleged plans by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and some Southern leaders to push for return to regional government in Nigeria, have divided senators.
The claim, which currently exists in the realms of rumours, resonated at the weekend in Kano State, at the just-concluded retreat organised by the Senate Committee on Constitution Review headed by the Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau.
Though the issue was not explicitly discussed during the retreat attended by about 50 senators, lawmakers drawn from the Southern and Northern parts of the country, who spoke to newsmen, took extreme positions.
While Southern senators, predominantly from the Southwest opined that a shift to regional government will curb corruption, promote efficiency and reduce the overwhelming influence of the government at the centre, their Northern counterparts said that they will reject the move.
The leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele from Ekiti State, in his comments, said that going back to regional government will be achieved through a political consensus, rather than a bill to be passed by the National Assembly.
He argued: “For me, going back to regional form of governance is something that will go beyond a bill being sponsored, either as a parliament member bill or as an executive bill. It’s also not something that you sit down in a public hearing room and organise a public hearing to take a decision on.
“So, we are changing the constitution, because that would require a political consensus, and that would also require the binding of the Nigerian people themselves.
“Some decisions were taken under the military regime, because there was no democratic process in place. And when you are in a democracy, especially a democracy that remains so nascent, you see that the need for political consensus cannot be overemphasised. So, for me, the question of whether or not to go back to regional government, for now, can only remain within the realm of debate.
“No legislative action should be encouraged in that regard, so that it doesn’t become an exercise in utility.”
Senator Abdulfatai Buhari from Oyo State, supported the position of Bamidele.
He said that when regions existed in Nigeria, resources were adequately harnessed.
He argued that there was no dominance of one region above another.
“Recall that the regions were able to harness their resources in the First Republic.
Other News
“We were able to harness all our resources. There was no dominance of a particular resource(s). In those years, the North was known for the pyramid of groundnuts, the Southwest was known for cocoa, we should be able to do that and then when you make the centre less attractive you cut off corruption, you can’t wipe it off, but you can cut it off, because there is what is called, watch your team. People will watch their team within their locality or within their region,” he stated.
Abdul Ningi from Bauchi State said that he will oppose any move to return the country to regional government.
He said that anything short of the current arrangement will be resisted.
He said: “I am representing Bauchi Central. I have heard so much about regional government or federalism and I have heard people going about, canvassing for such ideas. For a start, no matter how you see it, the current document is still the grundnorm of the Nigerian Constitution. It has also stipulated how it is going to be amended. Having said that, it is also imperative to also know that it isn’t just enough for anybody to come and say he is a representative of one ethnic group or another.
“The question that arises is, when was this mandate canvassed? When was it received? You are a representative of a particular ethnic group in Nigeria. At what time were you given the mandate to canvass that? The only people that are given this mandate to look at the Constitution and amend it are, of course, members of the National Assembly.
“As for regional governments, we have seen how the regional government was operated in the past. My part of the constituency that I am representing didn’t enjoy the development of that so-called regional government that was based in Kaduna. We aren’t going back there again! I am speaking for my senatorial district.
“It is either Nigerian federation or nothing. We can go along, my senatorial district will be satisfied independently with Nigeria, if that is what is required. As far as regional government, my constituency, my people aren’t for it. What we need is the reform of the Federal Government, fiscal federalism and there is nothing like true federalism.”
Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, former governor of Sokoto State, and a serving senator, told newsmen that the agitations for a return to regional government should be jettisoned by the promoters.
He said the current system is not bad, but only needs strengthening.
He said that Nigeria has since moved past regional government and must, therefore, not revert to it.
“There are more important things and problems. I do think that regionalism should be considered as one of our problems in Nigeria right now,” Wamakko noted.
Senator Mohammed Sani Musa from Niger State, said that those advocating for a return to the regions, should sponsor a bill and subject it to a public hearing.
He said the creation of regional Commissions is not an indication that the country is returning to the regions.
He said: “We are practicing a presidential system of government and not a parliamentary or regional system of government. I don’t believe that the creation of regional Commissions should be seen as a return to regionalism. It is not.
“Those advocating for regional system of government should bring the bill to the National Assembly. It will pass through all the processes and we will know if it will scale through after a public hearing.”
