By Abdulrahman A. Abdulrauf
Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu has successfully defended his doctoral thesis at the University of Abuja, today.
The thesis entitled “A Critical Appraisal of the Legal Framework, Theory and Practice of Fiscal Federalism in Nigeria” was submitted to the Faculty of Law, University of Abuja towards the award of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Degree in Law of the University.
A statement by Ekweremadu’s Special Adviser (Media), Uche Anichukwu, said
the 265-page research work analyses the legal framework for the revenue allocation in Nigeria and the various formula for distribution of revenue amongst the various tiers of government in the country.
It also analyses the theory and practice as well as the adequacy or otherwise of federalism in Nigeria, and how it has affected revenue allocation and control of resources in Nigeria.
The senator who also chairs the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for the second consecutive time posits that “as long as states continue to depend on the Federal Government for their economic development and survival, the wrangling and controversy surrounding the issue of revenue allocation would remain persistent and a recurrent problem in Nigerian fiscal federalism.”
Amongst others, Ekweremadu recommended a “radical review of the functions of each level of government in the constitution,” taking “cognisance of the respective capabilities of each level of government to perform services assigned to it most effectively and efficiently.”
He also recommended that the “local government should be given some degree of financial autonomy through the restructuring of the taxation powers”.
The Deputy President of the Senate holds both Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws Degrees from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He also taught Constitutional Law and Labour Law at the same University before joining politics in 1997.
Abuja
