Form and structure of government: A country of Nigeria’s size, population and diversity is a natural federation. So the present federal, 36 states and the FCT plus 774 LGAs be retained and consolidated. If we positively change our attitude to politics, government, religion and business we can make success of both the Presidential and Parliamentary Systems. So our major problem is the manner we operate the system. If you give a very good car to a very bad driver the car cannot last long. So our attitude to politics and government must change for us to make progress.
The status of geo-political zones: Any honestresearcher of our present political system and its dynamics can discover that only three of the six geo-political zones – South-east, South-west and North-west (minus Southern Kaduna) can be converted into happy and comfortable regions. The rest, North-east, North-central and South-south are so diverse that their peoples cannot willingly sacrifice the self-government and independence they now enjoy in their respective states. So the 36 states already created have come to stay and there is nothing more one can do except to ask the states to be financially prudent and embark on aggressive internal revenue generation, reduce all wastages and cut cost of governance.
Creation of states: It should stop state creation since most of the existing states cannot meet their financial obligations. But for fairness one more state can be created for the South-east and additional 50 – 100 local governments to correct imbalance in LGA creation in some 10 or more states. With 37 states the national spread requirement becomes 25% in 25 states in presidential election. The more states we create the weaker they become and stronger the Federal
Government becomes. The fact that some or most of the existing states are not at all viable economically is a good reason we must look in earnest for other constitutional, political and administrative ways of addressing marginalization in our obviously diverse country.
For example, rotation of governor’s position among the three senatorial districts of every state as provided for in the 1994/95 constitution can solve or address a lot of marginalization issues. Also, even at the federal level, we must recognize and accept our diversity and peculiarities and provide for the North
– South rotation of the position of the President. In Switzerland because of the large number of German, French, Italian,etc, ethnic nationalities of the country they decided to have a collegiate i.e. rotational presidency amongst the ethnic groups which takes care of their peculiarities. In Nigeria we have been pursuing in an academic, elitist and unrealistic manner and copy systems of government without adjusting them to suite our peculiarities. The US, UK, France and Germany operate different kinds of democratic government and constitution. So we must infuse or inject something Nigerian into our constitution.
State Police: Not yet. If the Rivers State Government has state Police at the disposal of the governor only God knows what would have happened to the nice and pleasant people of Rivers State. Let our grandchildren decide. There is no hurry.
State Electoral Commission: It is beyond reasonable doubtthat State Electoral Commissions have not lived up to expectations. Governors routinely ensured that local government areas in their states are won/controlled by their respective political parties. It is better for INEC to also conduct LG elections.
Revenue allocation: The important factor in revenue allocation in a federal state is the principle of even basic development of all parts of the federation. Therefore, states should be given sufficient allocation to enable them provide the basic needs of their people in respect of education, and healthcare, social housing, electricity and water supply, public transportation, telecom services, economic and employment opportunities, security and welfare of the people and affordable food prices to be ensured. This is why the revenue allocation formula is reviewed every 5 – 10 years, so that areas needing most urgent resource input are determined and assisted.
In this regard, the 19 northern states, occupying about 75% of Nigeria’s landmass are lagging behind in all developmental indices. No country can afford to ignore 75% of its land area. So there is urgent need for massive intervention in the northern states. The next revenue allocation formula must address this, so we will have well-funded and supervised marshallplan.
Land Use Decree/Act: We must be very careful about our land use and administration because our land area is fixed for eternity and will not increase but our (human) population is increasing. Particularly we must avoid giving so much land to very few privileged persons at the expense of millions of rural dwellers for whatever reason. This is what is now causing serious trouble, crises and unrest in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe and in other parts of the world. Always access to water and land is major source of conflict within many countries.
Citizenship: We must, after living together for 100 years, have laws which enhance national unity and integration, we must have laws which guarantee the fundamental and human rights of all our peoples in terms of property rights, citizenship rights, right to vote and be voted for after living for specified time and paying due tax, in any state of the federation.
Traditional rulers: Nobody in Nigeria, in his or her right senses, can ignore the important roles our traditional institutions play in our individual, private and public affairs. They are forever the custodians of our identity, history, culture and tradition. Apart from their positive interventions in all our affairs they add colour and integrity to all our activities. So it is necessary to provide for a meaningful role for our traditional rulers in our constitution.
Mr. Chairman and distinguished, Shakespeare says sweet are the uses of adversity, so present and future success can be built on the failures of the years past.Therefore, do not allow yourselves to be distracted, discouraged or disappointed by anybody or anything for nothing good can be achieved without hard work, pain and disappointment and patience. May God guide you to produce a constitution for Nigerians, which truly reflects our history, diversity, peculiarities and need for political stability, progress and prosperity, amin.
Engineer Abba-Gana, former FCT Minister, wrote from Maiduguri
