National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has said Nigeria practises a bastardised federal system of government.
Oyegun, who spoke at the public presentation of the APC’s Committee Report on True Federalism, said true federalism entails devolution of power to the federating units.
He said: “There is no doubt at all that where we were and where we are today is basically a bastardised kind of federal structure, more like a Unitary system. What we are going to present to the nation today are the considered views of the critical mass of this nation who participated strongly in the result being presented today.
“When the issue of restructuring cropped into the public domain last year, the main reason being one more issue with which to trash the Buhari administration. At that point, it was clear that this nation was facing a major issue that needed to be straightened out and we need to find a new reality.
“For President Buhari, the reality was the economic wellbeing of this nation, based on the strength of our people and what we can produce and based on the productivity of Nigerians themselves. Right now, work on that very foundation is virtually complete and this nation is now set on the path of gradual growth.
“He also has the issue of security to deal with and that has been effectively tackled. The issue of Boko Haram inherited in the Northeast has been dealt with. That is not to say that we are not also faced with equally serious security challenges. The assurance I will give today is that measures that equally effective are already being put in place to tackle that menace of the so called herdsmen malice once and for all.
“We did not at that time think that the issue of true federalism or restructuring was an immediate problem because it was necessary to fix the economy, lay the foundation of power because without, you cannot talk of meaningful development, lay foundation of infrastructures.
“Without power and a proper railway system, you cannot develop because you must grow with development. What this mean is that you can grow without development, while you can develop when the impact of growth is beginning to reach the people. So, we had this challenge and did not think we should add the extra burden of restructuring.”
Chairman of the APC Committee on True Federalism and Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai said states should exercise consequential powers, assume more responsibilities and control resources.
The governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser, Political, Mallam Uba Sani, said it was time to make the idea of having a true federalism work in Nigeria for the betterment of the people.
He said since the summary of its report was released, it has become clear that “we have added value to the whole debate about restructuring, devolution and federalism.
“We have defined the values that in our opinion promote and connote true federalism and proposed a clear roadmap for implementing the recommendations. The APC committee on true federalism has produced clear recommendations to strengthen federalism.
“We have not heard rebuttals of the recommendations. Rather there has been a lot of hysteria triggered by seeming disbelief that a party in power at the Centre is proposing true federalism. In place of a counter narrative or alternative position on federalism, what we hear is that the recommendations are coming too close to the election. If something is desirable. Surely the imminence of elections should not render it unappealing.
“The reality is the restructuring is a nation building opportunity. There is now no significant constituency against the idea that states should exercise consequential powers, assume more responsibilities and control resources. It is time to make it work for the benefit of the people of this country.”
Former Minister of Information Prince Tony Momoh said what was needed was the political will to actualise the principles of true federalism, while the Deputy Whip of the House of Representatives, Parry Iriase said the recommendation should be forwarded to the National Assembly as an Executive bill, saying it will be easier and faster to deal with an executive bill than an individual member bill.
