Written by Kodilinye Obiagwu (Enugu), Terhemba Daka and Karls Tsokar (Abuja
• Delegates discuss govt structure, council autonomy
LEADERS of the South-East zone rose from a meeting in Enugu Wednesday insisting that the ongoing constitutional conference should produce what they described as a ‘people’s constitution’ for the country to be able to achieve the objective of the confab.
They spoke as delegates at the conference Wednesday deliberated extensively on the current structure of government in the country, state creation and the perceived emasculation of local governments by state governors.
The group, under the aegis of Igbo Leaders of Thought, faulted developments at the on going national conference, which they feared might make it difficult for the nation to be availed of a ‘people’s constitution.
At the end of the well attended meeting , the leader of the group and revered constitutional lawyer, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, told journalists that “by a people’s constitution, we mean a constitution adopted at a national conference and ratified or approved at a referendum of all the people of this country.
“We have noted that what is going on at the conference is not being designed to achieve this objective. We noted the fact of the rowdy session at the conference over the alleged fake draft constitution said to have been smuggled into the conference and that the secretariat was lobbying some northern delegates to support the adoption of this fake draft constitution.
“As far as we are concerned, this is a pity, it is a tragedy because as we have reaffirmed, without a people’s constitution, there is no way we can achieve the objective of this body and also the objective of Ndigbo.”
Nwabueze restated the “two strategic interests of Ndigbo,” which the South East hopes to achieve through the national conference as “the zonal structure of the Nigerian federation, which is the creation of six or more zones in the country and with the 36 states being retained as part of the federal structure. We believe that this is strategic to the interest of Ndigbo because we cannot achieve the kind of autonomy we desire under the existing structure of 36 states, going from there to the Federal Government.”
According to him, ‘‘the existing 36 states are not effective to be able to administer the kind of powers and finances that will be devolved on them, taking from the centre to them. They will not be able to administer effectively, every experience points to this.”
Stressing the need to reduce the powers at the centre, Nwabueze said: “If you want to reduce the powers of the centre, which is the problem that we are having today, (an over-powerful centre), to whom do you give this?, to the existing 36 states?, they certainly will not be able to shoulder this additional powers and they will not also be in a position to administer the money that will be taken away from the centre and given to the federating units.”
According to the elder statesman, “all these point to a new structure that will be the Federal Government at the centre, the zones-six or more-and then the states. This is strategic to the interest of the Igbo because it conduces to the autonomy we want for Ndigbo in the new Nigeria.”
Also considered as strategic to the interest of the Igbo is the question of the right of self determination. Nwabueze lamented how “this suggestion and proposal by the Leaders of Thought has been turned down by the national conference at the behest of the North. So, they killed the idea of six zones structure and they also killed the idea of self determination!”
He spoke of further consultation geared towards the fulfillment and promise made “to the First Lady when I met her on May 12, 2014 that I and the Igbo Leaders of Thought will work with Mr. President. I made that promise and we have agreed on that. But the condition is that the President is also willing to work with us. The president must be willing to work with us. So we remain open to a meeting between Mr. President and a select group of our leaders.
Soon, Nwabueze disclosed, “I am going abroad for further medical treatment, when I return (I don’t know how long I will be away), we will get in touch with the president to organize the meeting with the Igbo Leaders of Thought to explore a way forward.”
On the threat of attacks by Boko Haram sect, he said: “There are indications that Boko Haram members are infiltrating the South East and the whole South. To find a way to handle this menacing situation, we authorized our secretary, Prof. Elo Amucheazi to set up a committee to do an elaborate and thorough study of the situation and to make suggestions and recommendations to be submitted to the next plenary session of the Igbo Leaders of Thought.”
Among those at the Enugu meeting was Prof. Chiweyite Ejike, former Vice Chancellor of Anambra State University of Technology, who was appointed deputy chairman of the Igbo Leaders of Thought. Others include Prof. Chukwuemeka Ike, Col. E. N. Nwabosi, Obi of Onitsha, Alfred Achebe, Prof. Ben Obumselu, Senator Anyim Ude, Prof. Uche Azikiwe, Archbishop Maxwell Anikwenwa, Bishop Obi Onubogu, Justice G.U. Oniniba and Dr. Emeka Ilonu.
Giving the delegates opportunity to intervene in the recommendations of the Committee on Political Reforms and Forms of Government, co-chaired by Gen. Ike Nwachukwu and Mohammed Kumalia, the Conference Chairman Justice Idris Kutigi said their inputs would form part of the amendments to the final report.
The recommendation that received the greatest attention was the one that proposes an additional state for the south-east zone, while all other requests should be considered on merit.
It was also recommended that the federal structure should remain but states that wish to merge should do so without prejudice to the states that constitute the federating units, but with the condition, among others, that a referendum voted by 75 percent of the eligible population is conducted in the states that wish to merge.
Again, the administration of the local governments should be removed from the constitution as the third tier of government, with states creating or reducing councils as they wish, but funding should be from a proposed State Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (SRMAFC).
While some of the delegates faulted the recommendations, others praised them, each contributor justifying his position based on the understanding and experiences in the various states.
Reacting, Charles Edosonmwan said: “Nigeria shall retain a federal system of government, but states should be allowed to have their own constitutions in order to guarantee mutual sovereignty. Others don’t need states, but the south east needs it for balance,” he said. He further endorsed the proposal for a unicameral legislator, noting that money meant for other projects is being spent in the bogus legislature as presently constituted.
Prof. Jerry Gana expressed support for the recommendation that the federal system of government is the right direction for this country. But for state creation, he posited that “those who meet the criteria should be considered, because it would resolve so much of the contestations and pressures on the system that seem to be dividing most sections of the country. We should go beyond that to nominate and screen the ones that meet the required criteria. I support that the resources meant for local government should be given to them, we should do all we can to make sure of this, state governors should stop pilfering monies meant for local councils,” he said.
Tunji Braithwaite said zoning is a reflection of true development and the focus towards attaining greatness, noting that “each of the six geo- political zones or such number of geo- political zones as may be agreed upon, owns its resources (mineral and / or agriculture) from which an agreed percentage of the zones’ revenues be paid to the Federal Government for the provision of the Federal Government services and performance of its responsibilities.
“This is resource control best suited to the Nigerian situation, which will engender a trickle- down social / economic development and benefits to all nooks and crannies of the federating states or the geo- political zones as the case may be.”
Sergeant Awuse, a delegate on the platform of South-south, said “there must be something wrong somewhere so there is need to correct that. Let the request for a state for South east be granted for equity and fairness. The local government is important, the governor is in charge of the local government and he determines what happens there, this needs to be corrected, especially as it relates to funding. The recognition of the minorities in the country is also important, they are in the majority at the local levels.
“How do we secure the local government to perform. Elect the correct governor who has sympathy for the local governments. The attitude to the local government must be to ensure that the minorities are recognised, it’s not possible for the conference to say the local governments would not exist.”
Terseer Tsumba, a delegate on the platform of Former Speakers Forum, said: “I do not support unicameral or part time legislature, I’m running for Senate in my state for instance, so I can’t go and support such. If you look at the legislature, there are specific numbers of days that the assemblies sit in a year. But in this country, you don’t have a specific time when a minister, for instance, comes to work. As we speak, the Presidency is proposing the appointment of some ministers who are now being screened by the Assembly. In such a situation, you expect them to be recalled to do the screening.
“The Assembly has been germane in the scheme of things in Nigeria, to say it would be part time is not only insensitive, it is an indication of the lack of knowledge or information. Where the checks and balances take place and all that.”
Also Ibrahim Idah recommends the alteration of section 7(1) where the state assembly can stripe the governor of the powers to control the finances of the local governments.
Femi Akande said: “We are being hard on the states and the governors without looking at the Federal Government. The problem of Nigeria is that we want to practice a system that we are not comfortable with. If it’s American system, if it’s bicameral, then let’s do it.
“Many of the states are not viable, many of the states cannot pay salaries, we should consider increasing that of the south east for parity but look at the others for their viability.”
For Jubril Aminu, the “presidential system of government has served us and will continue to serve us. House of Representatives is by population and Senate is by equality. To think of what Senator Ayu and Nnamani did is like trying to decorate a guinea fowl. We must be very careful not to create a demon that would affect us and our children in the future.
“What is ethnic nationality, it’s a shame, we should not accept this because it does not reflect the nationhood. The local government must be given their autonomy and given their money, the governors must not be allowed to continue siphoning these monies.
“The structure of Nigeria is fine, our behaviour must be corrected. This is the only country where citizens sit to say we are breaking up the country, we would not break up our country, anyone that is not comfortable should find his way out.”
Aminu recalled that the committee recommended that there should be unicameral legislature, whose members shall be on part-time with a membership distribution of 50 percent based on equity and 50 percent based on population and that there shall be staggered elections for legislature.
Most of the delegates further opined that the situation will not only aggravate the feared cost of governance since election, as recommended, would be “after two years” in the constituencies.
Other recommendations of note are that there should be “the principle of zoning and rotation of elective offices at the federal and states levels on the basis of equity, justice amid fairness, election of a Mayor for the inner nucleus of the 2000 sq.km of the FCT, and the increase in the number of council wards from 6 to 8 as well as payment of outstanding compensations due to the indigenes.
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