Nigeria: Need For True Federalism

The debate over whether or not to restructure Nigeria has continued to generate national discourse with eminent Nigerians across various religious, geographical and political divides adducing reasons for their positions. Only recently, the national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu lent his voice to the controversy by calling for  true federalism in Nigeria, rather than the defective system which currently prevails.
At the 91st Anniversary of Daily Times and Times Heroes Awards held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, Tinubu also challenged the Federal Government to devolve power to the component units of the country to pave way for genuine development and growth.
While querying the reason why  Nigeria has remained underdeveloped, despite passing through the oil boom era and so many opportunities to become a great nation, the APC leader argued that Nigerians must break away from their negative past and focus on the future, if they hope to achieve the nation of their dream.
Tinubu’s logic, coming few months after the same view was expressed by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who is also a key member of the ruling party, is in tandem with the yearnings of various ethnic nationalities: MASSOP, IPOB, Niger Delta agitators, Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) among other eminent Nigerians who had, in the past, also called for  restructuring of the country as a way forward.
The Tide agrees with Tinubu and Atiku among several other notable Nigerians that a true federation cannot merely allocate funds to the federating units, without consciously devolving more powers to them. In truth, the quasi-federal system Nigeria operates today is not delivering the required dividends to the people, because the centre is too heavy, indolent and riddled with corruption.
We believe that many Nigerians are now united over the need to revert to the status-quo ante and make Nigeria live and practise the true meaning of a federal state. There is glaring concensus that ensuring fiscal federalism would be the yawning imperative Nigeria cannot do without, not only for socio-economic and political stability, but for the much-sought-after rapid development.
The Tide holds that the present concept of federal arrangement is retrogressive and lacks competitiveness in terms of harnessing the enormous mineral resource deposits at various locations in the component states. In fact, it is a direct opposite of what the founding fathers envisioned for the country at birth.
We recall that the concept of fiscal federation was first introduced in Nigeria in 1946, following the adoption of the Richards Constitution. The period (1947 – 1952) marked the beginning of the recognition of sub-national governments during which financial responsibilities were devolved to the regions – North, West and East regions known to control proceeds from groundnut and cotton, cocoa and palm produce, respectively.
At independence in 1960, these three regions were clearly autonomous and controlled their primary resources, and thus, were able to generate ample revenue individually. From 1960 to 1966, the same Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria gave the federating regions so much powers that left the central government with barely 15 per cent of the nation’s earnings.
It was this system, as provided for in the nation’s Constitution then, that laid the foundation for the rapid socio-economic development witnessed in the regions during the First Republic. Unfortunately, that giant stride that could have put the country firmly in the league of developed nations of the world was jettisoned as soon as the military took over the reins of governance, using the Civil War as justification for the reversion of that fiscal formula.
Today, there are 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with a near status of a state and 774 local governments recognised by the Constitution. If ethnic-based resources control, which has for years powered calls for a sovereign national conference is unacceptable, then the only choice left is to use the existing states and local governments as the federating units.
The Tide believes that revisiting the report of the past constitutional conferences, especially the Jonathan’s National Conference can address the imbalance in the present arrangement, which has been variously and derogatorily described as a ‘lopsided,’ ‘quasi’ federal structure.
Like many other Nigerians, we look forward to a truly federal system of government in which the federating units control their resources and pay royalties to the centre. That way, the Federal Government will be able to focus on such exclusive issues as national security and defence, foreign policy, currency minting and monetary policy, among other limited concurrent responsibilities.
If the President Muhammadu Buhari – led APC Federal Government begins a deliberate move to achieve this,  it would not only allay the fears of a section of the country, but would also launch Nigeria to unprecedented greatness.