Politics
Between True Federalism And Sovereign National Conference
Some eminent Nigerians, rose from a meeting in Lagos recently and called on the Federal Government to urgently convoke a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) to address the myriad of crisis currently confronting the nation.
At the end of a two-day National Dialogue organized under the aiges of National Summit Group (NSG), the group made up of politicians, elders statesmen, civil rights activists, business men, academics, traditional and religious leaders, organised labour as well as security agents, emphasised the need for a Sovereign National Conference. They insist that it has become imperative to convoke a national conference comprising various constituent units of the country that would produce valid and true document to serve as the people’s constitution.
Also another group of Nigerians have canvassed for true fiscal federalism as the panacea to the myriad of problems facing the nation.
The call for either the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference or true fiscal federalism as envisioned by the authors of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria is not new.
The late elder statesmen, Anthony Enahoro’s National Democratic Coalition (NADECCO) was among the first groups to champion the fight for the convocation of a sovereign national conference dating back to the birth of the nation’s nascent democracy in 1999.
The South-South People’s Assembly (SSPA), an umbrella socio-political, cultural and ethnic body of the Niger Delta province, comprising, Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers, Bayelsa and Edo states has also been a formidable voice in the call for sovereign national conference and the practice of true fiscal federalism.
It is believed in some quarters that it was SSPA’s pressure that forced the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to pick Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to serve as running mate to the late Musa Shehu Yar’Adua in 2004. The agitation by SSPA and others also contributed to the election of Dr Goodluck Jonathan, from the South-South geopolitical zone, a minority as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the first time in the political history of Nigeria.
Although constitutionally, Nigeria is a federation, in practice, many political scientists have continued to insist that Nigeria is a quasi federalism.
A part of the preamble of the 1999 constitution says inter-alia “We the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria …and to provide for a constitution for the purpose of promoting a good government and welfare of all persons in our country on the principles of freedom, equality and justice and for the purpose of consolidating the unity of our people, do hereby make, enact and give to ourselves the following constitution”.
The advocates of SNC have emphatically and repeatedly argued that the 1999 constitution did not come into existence through a properly constituted Constituent Assembly or Constitution Drafting Committee.
Speaking at the legislative summit on South West Integration at Ibadan recently a House of Assembly member from Ekiti State, Ayodele Odu (Trepodun/Ifelodun) constituency said “the 1999 constitution is decree 24 of 1999. It is an outdated constitution foisted by Abdulsalami.
He described it as a fraudulent constitution that told a lie against itself. The National Assembly can amend it, but it cannot make a new constitution for Nigeria. It is anti-historical to give the task to them. He said constitution making is the job of a Constituent Assembly.
Agitators of SNC reason that the various ethnic nationalities that make-up the country, for example the Ijaw National Congress (INC), the Arewa Consultative Council, the Odudua Peoples Congress, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, etc or their representatives should meet on a round-table to dialogue and formulate a people’s constitution.
“We have 484 ethnic groups in Nigeria. We have to go back to basics Awolowo said we cannot avoid a federal system. The military constitution is masquerading as a constitution”, Ayodele Odu said.
In an interview with The Tide, Mr. Victor Burubo, the publicity secretary of INC, said the various ethnic groups have the right to meet and dialogue on how they should live together but such a dialogue or conference must be representative enough and not some selected individuals meeting to take decisions.
Chief Bob Fredricks, a former member of the 3rd Assembly, Rivers State House of Assembly and now an executive member of the INC, is of the view that SNC is a meeting where the national issues like true fiscal federalism will be discussed.
He said anybody from the Niger Delta opposing the call for SNC should be considered a traitor.
On the other hand, those opposed for the convocation of the SNC fear that the convocation of such conference at this point of the nation’s political history or development might be detrimental and may do more harm to the nation’s unity.
The opponents of the SNC also argue that the National Assembly as presently constituted is a representation of the people of Nigeria across the various ethnic nationalities.
They also reason that the National Assembly has the power and mandate to dialogue, discuss and make laws for the people they represent.
Chapter one, part two, paragraph four, section one of the 1999 constitution states that “the legislative power of the federal republic of Nigeria shall be vested in a National Assembly of the federation which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives”.
In reaction to the agitators for the convocation of SNC. The National Assembly described the call as diversionary and unnecessary saying that it would not work and urged its agitators to channel their grievances through the National Assembly.
According to the chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Zakari Mohammed, the call for Sovereign National Conference is diversionary and unnecessary.
He said “Sovereign National Conference is the thinking of some idle minds adding, that convening SNC is about representation of Nigerians and you already have representation of Nigerian in us, one of the most credible elections that INEC conducted was the election that brought us to office. So people in the National Assembly are representing the Nigerian people.
Zakari Mohammed opined “security matters have occupied the front burner of national discourse. We have been inviting the service chiefs for private meetings from time to time to find solutions to the problem”.
He said, loss of confidence in institutions has been like that over time, but it’s not fair for people to say they want to convene SNC for now.
“Are we going to conduct election to bring on representations for the SNC? How many ethnic groups do we have in Nigeria? Is every ethnic nationality going to be represented” he asked adding that if they have a template for discussion there are representatives to address such.
“Those calling for a break up of Nigeria (may be those calling for the SNC) don’t mean well for us. We cannot reduce ourselves to tribal forces and begin to play local champions. Nigeria is a unique country of several ethnic nationalities bonded together by nationality” he remarked.
In his reaction, Chairman, Senate Committee on Media, Information and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe told those agitating for a SNC to shelve the idea because it cannot work and advised them to channel their grievances through the National Assembly.
Senator Abaribe drew the attention of those calling for SNC to the fact that there already exist elected representatives of the people and that all Nigerians are either represented by a member of the House of Representatives or a Senator.
He said “we do not understand the position of those who want SNC” noting that the National Assembly is not against any group of people coming together to discuss issues they felt concerned them”.
However, Mr. Burubo, INC Publicity Secretary, is of the view that the National Assembly is made up of politicians who largely represent their political parties’ interest and personal interest who may know little of the felt need of their ethnic nationality adding that they are just a negligible percentage of the people.
Senator Olorunimbe Mamora and Rev Tunji Adebiyi, Lagos State Special Adviser on Regional Integration have already drawn attention to the limited powers of the National Assembly to make people’s constitution for the country explaining that while the legislators have the mandate to make laws for the country, they are handicapped in making a constitution.
The National Assembly, it is said can only review the constitution and cannot make a new constitution. Making a new and people’s constitution can only be done by bodies outside the parliament put up by the ethnic nationalities.
On why the nation could not practice true federalism despite the fact that Nigeria is a federation, Dr. Monday Okonny, an elder statesman and two-time commissioner in the old Rivers State, blamed the National Assembly for not living up to expectation.
“We need to practice true fiscal federalism, states having their own police etc.” he said.
Again Chief Bob Fredricks, former lawmaker in Rivers State also insist that the SNC would be the only meeting where issues of true fiscal federalism can be meaningfully discussed.
He pointed out that when Nigeria was amalgamated in 1914, the nation was practicing true fiscal federalism. Each region produced what they had and paid tax to the centre. But that system, he said was killed by the military. We now run a sort of military system as opposed to federalism, hence, every now and then, the state governors have to run to Abuja for either federation account meeting or allocation meeting etc.
It was William E. Berah (1865-1940), a Senator in U.S.A who said “the marvel of history is the patience with which men and women submit to burdens unnecessarily laid upon them by their government”.
It is true that the 1999 constitution did not come into existence through the normal constitution making process. But the more unfortunate thing is that those who are supposed to apply its contexts are selective. The National Assembly’s move to make selective amendment of certain sections of the constitution gives credence to the fact that the constitution is faulty.
A temporary panel beating efforts by the National Assembly may amount to beating about the bush. The way to go may be to hit the harmmer on the head by having a total review or re-writing of the constitution.
Soye Young-Itiye
The event, jointly organised by LP and ADC to publicly acknowledge the movement of party members, was first scheduled to hold at the LP secretariat in Idimu.
However, chaos erupted when more than 100 suspected thugs reportedly stormed the premises, forcing party members and officials to flee.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers, some armed with knives, canes and other dangerous objects, assaulted individuals they encountered during the invasion.
The assailants were also heard chanting hostile slogans, declaring that LP and ADC were not welcome in Lagos State.
Several party members sustained injuries in the process, while party property, including furniture and flags, were vandalised.
Despite the disruption, officials of both parties quickly relocated the programme to an alternative venue, the Eco Centre Event Hall in Egbeda, in a bid to continue the ceremony.
Speaking on the incident, the LP Chairman in Alimosho, Mr Olanrewaju Olushola, popularly known as Heritage, condemned the attack, describing it as unprovoked and alarming, especially with the 2027 general elections approaching.
“What is most painful is that most of my members sustained varying degrees of wounds. This is in spite of the hoodlums going into our party secretariat in Alimosho and destroying our furniture and flags,” he said.
Mr Olushola clarified that the defection itself had already taken place, stressing that Saturday’s gathering was merely a symbolic ceremony to inform the public of their decision.
According to him, nearly all LP members in Alimosho, including the party’s leadership structure, had collectively agreed to move to the ADC.
Also speaking, the party’s Secretary in Alimosho, Mr Moses Akujuobi, explained that plans for an open defection ceremony had earlier been halted by the police, who cited the absence of formal approval.
He said the organisers had reached out to the Area M Commander, ACP Abaniwonda, who reportedly informed them that only the Commissioner of Police could authorise political events in the state.
“Incidentally, we could not reach the CP, but we informed the DSS, after which we went ahead since it wasn’t a rally but a quiet ceremony,” Mr Akujuobi said.
He added that the situation became more tense upon arrival at the initial venue.
“When we got to the venue this morning, we were shocked to see police vans with heavily armed policemen. They informed us that we cannot hold the event and referred us to the police commissioner.
“While we were at it, the hoodlums besieged the place and began to beat people, leading to our deserting the venue,” he explained.
Mr Akujuobi said party officials subsequently contacted members by phone to proceed to the second venue in Egbeda, where the programme resumed briefly.
“We, however, began to contact our members through phones to move to the second venue, which is the Eco Event Centre, and everyone witnessed what took place here.
“The hoodlums got wind of our second venue and equally attacked us, beating up our members again,” he added.
He noted that the decision to defect to the ADC was driven by internal leadership challenges within the Labour Party and protracted legal disputes affecting the party.
Shortly after the hoodlums vacated the second venue, several police vans carrying armed officers reportedly arrived at the location.
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has strongly rejected calls by the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria seeking the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, over comments he allegedly made on genocide.
The Fellowship described the demand as unjustified and a threat to constitutional freedoms.
In a statement signed by its National Secretary, Bishop David Bakare, the PFN insisted that Prof Amupitan, like every Nigerian, has the constitutional right to express his views on matters of national concern, irrespective of the public office he occupies.
According to the PFN, the comments attributed to the INEC Chairman were made in his personal capacity and had no link whatsoever with his official responsibilities or electoral duties.
The Fellowship stressed that elections and electoral activities were not involved in the matter, arguing that there was no basis to connect the alleged comments to Prof Amupitan’s role as INEC Chairman.
“We strongly oppose such calls because Prof. Amupitan, as a Nigerian, has the right to make comments on what he observes to be happening in the nation, regardless of his appointment or assignment,” the statement read.
The PFN said it condemned “in every ramification” the suggestion that the INEC Chairman should be removed from office on the basis of his personal views, warning against attempts to punish public officials for expressing opinions outside the scope of their official duties.
The Tide source reports that the Fellowship also cautioned against what it described as a growing tendency to interpret national issues through religious lenses, noting that such an approach only deepens divisions and undermines peaceful coexistence.
“We must resist the temptation of profiling or judging people based on their religious beliefs or positions. Prof. Amupitan has a right to bear his mind, and this should not be at the cost of his job,” the PFN added.
The PFN called on all stakeholders to exercise restraint, understanding and mutual respect in national discourse, particularly on sensitive issues.
It emphasised that unity and peace must remain paramount in addressing national challenges.
The Fellowship reaffirmed its commitment to fairness, justice and mutual respect, urging that these values guide public engagement and responses to issues affecting the country.
In A Statement Issued On Saturday, Mr Obiorah Ifoh, The Factional Spokesperson, Described The Decision Of The Electoral Body As Strange.
Mr Ifoh Also Said The Sacked Factional Leadership Of The Party Will Protest The Action Of INEC.
Stating That Judgment Of The Court And The Decision Of INEC Will Not Stop Its Members From Putting Up A Strong Appearance In The Forthcoming 2027 General Election, Mr Ifoh Noted Legal Redress Would Be Sought By LP.
He Said, “Some Persons Who Are Applauding The Impunity By Some Politicians Should Retrace And Do Some Introspection, Because This Was How In The Past They Applauded Injustice In Our Democracy Because They Were Beneficiaries.
“At The End Of The Day, When Their Enthroned Leaders Began To Abuse Power, They Started Complaining.
“For Us In Labour Party, Our Faith Is Strong That The Appellate Court Will Do The Right Thing And Therefore We Advise Our Members To Remain Calm. We Will Continue With The Struggle To Take Our Party From The Godfather,” Mr Ifoh Said.
He Also Stated That The Labour Party Is A Party Formed On The Basis Of Social Democracy Where No One Man Is Permitted To Appoint Everybody.
According To Him, It Is Against The Party’s Principles For “One Man To Sit At A Place And Gather Everybody And Appoint Everybody From The National Working Committee To The State.
“That Is Impunity Of The Highest Order. This, I Believe, Negates The Principles Of The Party.
“If We Say There Is No Party Ideology In Nigeria, This Is How It Starts. We Are Very Sure That It Will Be Quashed On Appeal,” He Added.
Mr Ifoh Also Described The Celebration And Excitement Showcased By Senator Nenadi Usman And The Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti As Temporary.
He Said Dr Otti, Senator Usman And Their Cohorts’ Names Which Were Already Listed On INEC’s Portal Will Be Short-Lived.
“It Is For A Short Time. Their Victory Is Pyrrhic And There Is Nothing To Celebrate Because Doomsday Is Closer Than They Will Imagine; Which I Believe Will Be Very Catastrophic For Them.
“Moreover, It Is Very Clear That The Appointment Of The Caretaker Committee Did Not Go Through The Normal Procedure. Proper Notice Was Not Given In Line With The Party Constitution And The Electoral Act,” He Said.
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