Northern Senators kick against return to regionalism championed by Southerners
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Northern Senators have strongly opposed the agitation for the return to a regional system of government practised in the First Republic when each region (North, East, and West) used its self-generated resources to develop at its own pace without reliance on the central government.
Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) warned his constituents will never support regionalism because they did not benefit from the system when it was practised during the colonial period, up to the Yakubu Gowon junta, until the then-military Head of State ended it and split the regions into “states” in 1967.
Senator Abdulfatai Buhari (APC, Oyo North) and other Southern Senators disagreed with the opponents of regional government, but they were outnumbered by others who expressed their views at a retreat on amendments to the 1999 Constitution.
The retreat was organised in Kano by the Senate Committee on Constitution Review in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC).
The exchange was given fuel by the recent false rumour that President Bola Tinubu had sent a bill on regional government to the National Assembly (NASS).
Regardless, Southern Senators described reintroduction of regionalism as a welcome development that would improve the economy, tackle insecurity, and accelerate infrastructural development.
“The regions were able to harness their resources in the First Republic. We were able to harness all our resources. There was no dominance of particular resources,” Buhari recounted.
“In those years, the North was known for the groundnut pyramids, the South West for cocoa. We should be able to do that.
“When you make the center less attractive, you cut off corruption. You can’t wipe it off, but you can cut it down, because there is what is called ‘watch your team.’ People will watch their team within their locality or within their region.”
Buhari said the South West will present a specific agenda for the Constitution review at the appropriate time.
“We don’t want to disclose that agenda yet, but we have agreed among ourselves that the person who will present it is the Chairman of the South West Forum when the time comes. It would be very unfair for me now as a member to start discussing that.”
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele reiterated that regionalism is not part of the Constitution review.
Despite that, Ningi also told the gathering of how “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.
“Having said that, it is also imperative to know that it isn’t just enough for anybody to come and say they are the representative of one ethnic group or another at the National Assembly.
“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.
“Therefore, it is important for those who go about selling these ideas, false ideas in my opinion, that they are representatives of the people, to let Nigerians know where they are coming from, on whose mandate, and when was this mandate given to them.
“We have seen how the regional government was operated in the past. My part of the country 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 the Nigerian federation or nothing. We can’t go along; my Senatorial District will be satisfied independently with Nigeria, if that is what is required.
“As far as regional government is concerned, my constituency, my people aren’t for it. What we need is reform of the current federal government structure and fiscal federalism because there is nothing like true federalism.”
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East) advised Nigerians against mistaking the establishment of zonal development commissions for regional governance because the commissions are strictly for the social and economic development of their areas.
His words: “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.
“Those who are advocating for it should come up with bills through their representatives in the National Assembly and test the popularity of their proposal.”
Former Senate Chief Whip Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) argued that true federalism is no longer fashionable because many countries in Africa have discarded it.
He sought the creation of strong institutions that would enhance good governance and curb 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 stressed.
Senate Tertiary Institutions and TetFund Committee Chairman Muntari Dandutse (APC, Katsina South) also disagreed with the proponents of regional governance.
He reiterated that the essence of the retreat is to improve on the defects and anomalies discovered in Nigeria’s several constitutions over the years.
“We should not have myopic thinking about ourselves. There is no section of this country that is not blessed,” Dandutse said.
“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.
“We have all the comparative advantages that will move this country forward unless, of course, we are [not] serious and determined.”
In any case, Bamidele stressed that regionalism cannot be reintroduced through Constitution amendment.
He explained that “There are some decisions in the state where an executive bill cannot come to the parliament unless there is some political consensus.
“For me, going back to a regional form of governance is something that will go beyond a bill being sponsored, either as a member’s 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.
“An example is when people say, ‘Oh, you are in parliament. As a parliament, you cannot discard the entire Constitution. Nigeria needs a new Constitution because this one cannot work.’
“It’s easy for people to make such arguments, but that is not something we can sit down in parliament and do.
“We aren’t changing the Constitution because that would require political consensus, and it would also require the buy-in of the Nigerian people themselves.
“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, the National Assembly and all chambers have to go through this entire process, which we go through in every legislative assembly, and many of you have been a part of this process.”
__________________________________________________________________
Related articles:
Akintoye insists Yoruba Nation wants ‘separate country’, not restructuring Nigeria, a failed state
BREAKING: Police arraign 29 Yoruba Nation agitators for alleged treason
Tinubu’s renewed hope turns into inflation and hunger for citizens, Catholic Bishops lament
Report says kidnappers collected N1.04b ransom from Nigerians in one year
__________________________________________________________________