As the President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) prepares to take over there has been calls for restructuring from some quarters. In this report, ABDULRAHMAN ZAKARIYAU writes on Nigerians’ expectations from the government.
President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a known advocate of restructuring. He has on many occasions openly and subtly called for the restructuring of the country.
The former Lagos state Governor, who is set to take over power from President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29, had on a particular occasion pontificated that, “It would be better to restructure things to attain the correct balance between our collective purpose on one hand and our separate grassroots realities on the other. I oppose talk of break-up and all other exotic political arrangements tantamount to it.”
In another instance, Tinubu argued that state governors and the chairmen of the local government areas could have done more if the political system was truly built on the fiscal federalism they have long espoused.
“Our system remains too centralized with too much power and money remaining within the federal might. This imbalance leads to relative state weakness.
“We need to overhaul how revenues are allocated between the states and the federal government. Here I must state what for many of us may seem a novel idea. But this concept has directed the fiscal policies of other nations for several decades.
“If we are to catch these other nations in development, it is a prerequisite that we match them in the efficiency of governmental fiscal roles and operations regarding the national government and our subnational political units,” he stated.
Aside from Tinubu’s position, it is a known fact that the ruling APC supports restructuring, however, the outgoing President Buhari led administration appears to have failed to implement it in its entirety.
APC Committee On Restructuring
APC Committee On Restructuring, headed by Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El- Rufai, was set up in August 2017 to formulate the position of the party on true federalism, which clamour gained currency over a year ago. The committee initially had 10 members but this was later expanded to 23 members.
According to its mandate, the committee was to distil the true intent and definition of true federalism as promised by the party during the last electioneering campaign, and to take a studied look at the report of the various national conferences, especially that of 2014; and come up with recommendations.
Some of the key recommendations were resource control, making local government an affair of states, constitutional amendment to allow merger of states, state police, state court of appeal and independent candidacy.
The committee said Nigerians indicate interest in creation of states, merger of states, delegation principle, fiscal federalism, devolution of power and resources between state, federal and local governments, federating units, form of government, independent candidacy, land tenure system, local government autonomy, power sharing and rotation, resource control, types of legislature, demand for affirmation for vulnerable groups; people with disabilities, women and youth, ministerial appointment, citizenship, state constitution, community participation, minimum wage, governance, judiciary, state re-alignment and border adjustment, circular status of the federation; and referendum.
Considering Tunubu’s stand, argument, and APC advocacy on the need to restructure, many Nigerians are optimistic about what the next administration would do in this regard.
We’ll not cease demanding restructuring – Prof. Soyinka
For Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, Nigerians will not stop demanding restructuring to address the imbalance in the most populous black nation.
Soyinka, who appeared on a national television breakfast show recently, stressed the need for the incoming Tinubu-led administration to prioritise restructuring.
The Nobel Laureate said the administration should be considered restructuring for his administration to make a meaningful impact in Nigeria.
He stated “Whomever it is must understand that the people of this country will not cease demanding a restructuring of this nation.
“New voices are being heard and they are more powerful than before. They are not just whining voices, they are voices based on actualities. We have failed in so many directions and they are saying, ‘Let us try in this direction’ and you cannot ignore it.
“Otherwise, even your economic policies will fail, your infrastructure and transformation will fail. We will just go back threading the same old spur.”
National conference on restructuring imperative – Mohmmed
A Public Affairs Analyst, Aminu Muhammed, has said the President-elect should organise a national conference on restructuring when he comes into office.
Mohammed, in a phone chat with Blueprint Weekend, said the national conference will enable stakeholders from across the country to air their views on restructuring.
The political analyst said it was not just a decision for the President to make, adding that he needs the opinion of respected Nigerians from different segments of the society to agree on why, when and the nation should go about restructuring.
He said, “For years many Nigerians have been yearning for restructuring. But till this moment most of those agitating for restructuring have not even agreed on the way to go about it.
“So, for me, the next administration needs to organize a national conference on restructuring. This will give room for explanation, understanding, and agreement among stakeholders on what Tinubu’s administration should do about restructuring.
“Like a few others, I believe restructuring will help some of the imbalance in the polity. Also, it will strengthen the unit and enhance the development of the nation.
“But to achieve this, the next administration has to consult widely, collate and interrogate divergent views and allow stakeholders to through a national conference come up with modalities.
“The President Muhammadu Buhari administration has commenced the process with the decentralisation of power generation and Local Government Fund which implies that states can now generate power and LGA can get their monthly allocation directly from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
“However, that is not enough Nigeria wants decentralisation of the security apparatus, to pave the way for state police. Nigerians are also talking about resource control and many more. So, they want total restructuring not selective or partial restructuring.
“The next administration will achieve only when it listens to the yearnings of the Nigerian people on this subject matter.”
NASS has significant role in restructuring – Chukwuani
On his part, former National Chairman, National Democratic Party (NDP), Chudi Chukwuani, National Assembly has a significant role to play for the next administration to restructure the country.
Chukwuani told Blueprint Weekend that it was one thing to advocate for restructuring, but another thing to work towards it and another thing to have the political will to rally the members of the National Assembly.
He said, “Restructuring Nigeria may help to address some of our problems. But it won’t be easy for some Nigerians, especially from a particular part of the country, who feel restructuring is against the progress of their people.
“So, to start with there is a need for education, public enlightenment, and engagement to discuss the matter. Nigerians from all walks of life and all parts will have to agree before the next administration will make any money on restructuring.
“It is not just what the President will do. To restructure a complex country like Nigeria, the President or next administration needs all stakeholders, especially members of the 10th Assembly.
“After getting the stakeholders’ support, the administration needs the support of the National Assembly, because most of the work will be done by them.”
