June 16, (THEWILL)- The draft bill for the return of Nigeria to a regional system of government sent to President Bola Tinubu by Afenifere Chieftain, Akin Fapohunda and a letter from elder statesman, Edwin Clark, urging the President to consider implementing the 2014 National Conference Report, both on June 13, 2024, may well summarise the growing public clamour for political restructuring of the country in the face of dwindling expectations, 25 years down the line.
“But it is like asking the President to jettison his ‘Renewed Hope Agenda,’ not even midstream into its implementation, no matter the seriousness of the idea expressed in the draft bill,” a source in the presidency told THEWILL at the weekend.
Titled “A bill for an Act to substitute the annexure to Decree 24 of the 1999 with a New Governance Model for the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” with new extant laws to be cited as, “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria New Governance Model for Nigeria Act 2024,” the bill proposes to divide Nigeria into eight geo-political regions with rough makeshift boundaries.
Acknowledging the seriousness of the bill’s contents and Clarks’ letter, the source, however, argued that the President was poised to make the desired reforms and launch the country on the path of economic recovery and growth. “After all, he is one of the arrow heads of the struggle for the return of democracy in the country. He knows where the shoe pinches,” the presidential aide said, opting to remain anonymous.
President Tinubu made the point during his nationwide broadcast on June 12, Democracy Day.
Among other things, he said, “I stand uniquely placed in this regard. I was among those who took the risk to midwife the birth of our democracy. I am now a direct and obvious beneficiary of the fruits of those historic efforts.
“As president of this nation, I am morally and constitutionally bound to preserve this precious form of governance.”
He vowed to do his utmost best to protect the rights, freedom and liberty of every Nigerian citizen and “to do whatever is necessary to cement democracy as our way of life.”
Noting that the challenges ahead are steep and multiple, he pledged to pursue reforms to redirect the “economic difficulties we face as a nation.”
He said, “Our economy has been in desperate need of reform for decades. It has been unbalanced because it was built on the flawed foundation of over-reliance on revenues from the exploitation of oil.
“The reforms we have initiated are intended to create a stronger and better foundation for future growth. There is no doubt the reforms have occasioned hardship. Yet, they are necessary repairs required to fix the economy over the long run so that everyone has access to economic opportunity, fair pay and compensation for his endeavour and labour.”
OTHER VIEWS
Another comrade –in-arms during the pro-democracy struggles, is not so optimistic in his assessment of the past 25 years of democracy in the country. He is Professor of Political Science at the Lagos State University, Sylvester Odion Akhaine.
As a former General Secretary of the Campaign for Democracy and the United Action for Democracy, who was in and out of prison during the military crackdown on pro-democracy activists in the country, Odion-Akhaine thinks that unless urgent constitutional and legal actions are taken, the future looks bleak.
“I think the first point would be to ask the question: What were the issues that we fought for? ” he told THEWILL in a brief interview on Friday.
Akhaine observed that Nigeria is still in the same state as the military regime when it comes to observance of the rule of law, which is in breach. The judiciary, he laments, has not fared better in the new, democratic dispensation when compared to the pro-democracy period.
“Under the current dispensation, the judiciary has been humbled, given the series of corruption allegations against it. Under the military, the judiciary acted in sync with the struggle against military rule. Remember that it was Justice Dolapo Akinsanya that declared the Interim Government headed by Earnest Shonekan, illegal.”
For Professor Anthony Kila, who is the Chairman of June 12 Movement in the country, it rings good to the ear to hear that Nigeria has had 25 years of uninterrupted democratic process. But what has been the result?
“We still do not have the kind of democracy that was dreamed off 33 years ago. We still deal with issues, such as police brutality, dysfunctional bureaucracy, multi-dimensional poverty, nepotism, corruption, distrust among ethnic groups, religious division and a federation that is not genuinely federal, not to mention the dire economic condition of most Nigerians,” he said.
According to him, it is safe to say that while some things have been done, much more needs to be done, “for our democracy to be a true democracy, we can trust and be proud of.”
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Obidient Movement Council, March Oyinki concurs with Prof Kila. He said 25 years of democracy in Nigeria has left bitter experiences in the memories of the people, especially with the electoral process and bad governance.
“The lack of accountability and transparency in government are some of the reasons the nation has failed to make any tangible progress,” Oyinki told this newspaper in an interview.
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
“Elite closure is the most fundamental thing,” Prof Akhaine said, adding that this posture of the ruling elite has made it difficult for people with integrity, honesty to thrive in the system. “If you want to understand the current situation and fuel crisis in the country, you have to look at the consumerist disposition of the elite. They lack the will to pursue productive ventures. Enterprises are hardly encouraged, not to talk of support. I learnt that between today and 10 years ago, about 800 foreign companies have left the country. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw how palliatives were hoarded by representatives of the people and the people had to invade the warehouses. These are some of the contradictions in the system.”
WAY FORWARD
For Chief Clark and Fapohunda, the solution lies in constitution making. Clark urged President Tinubu to implement the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference, such as scrapping the current system of 774 local authorities and allow states to determine their own local systems; the creation of 18 new states that will be equally spread around the country; revenue allocation that reduces the share of the Federal Government and increases allocation to the states; a modified presidential system of government that combines the presidential and parliamentary systems of government, as well as power sharing and rotation at all levels of government.
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar, points to a political solution. In his Democracy Day statement made available to THEWILL, he said that political parties should always challenge cases of bad governance and seek to amend it.
Atiku said, among other things, that opposition political parties should be able to come together and form a coalition that will retire the ruling party and articulate a plan of good governance that will earn the conviction of Nigerians.
“Today, the failure of the opposition parties to uphold the functionality of their existence is the major threat to our democracy. The earlier they realise that the fortunes of Nigeria lies in their forging a coalition, the better it will be for our country and the people,” he said.
Professor Akhaine agrees with him, saying that loyal opposition should be able to criticise policies and personalities, when they deviate from set national goals.
“Patriots must join the political arena because politics is about the contestation of power. It is not about violence in a democracy; it is about supremacy of the ballot box,” he said, adding with a call on the National Assembly to revisit the independent candidate provision in the constitutional amendment, which former President Muhammadu Buhari declined to sign in the March 2023 amendments.
“In point of view of national politics where State Houses of Assembly and local government councils are subject to the tyranny of the state governors who impose candidates, independent candidates can make inroads at the grassroots where people are more likely than not to support and defend their votes for the candidates of their choice.”
In support of a patriotic action, Prof Kila says that the June 12 Movement has resolved to help create the atmosphere for the emergence of a people’s constitution that will create a Nigeria that “respects our diversity and is designed for our peace, progress and prosperity.”
The Emir of Kano, Muhamadu Sanusi II cited the ongoing ex-President Donald Trump saga in the United States of America to say there is no perfect system in the world, adding that if the country once practiced the parliamentary system and it failed, why are people calling for it?
“To me, this is no solution. Into how may parts are you going to slice this country to get a homogenous nation, with all the inter marriages and all that? I am not sure that is the solution. We cannot shift responsibilities away from human beings, from the people who are responsible for running the system.”
Oyinki agrees. “Not until the rule of law, checks and balances, as well as separation of powers are made to work effectively, true democracy will remain elusive in the country.”
About the Author
Amos Esele is the Acting Editor of THEWILL Newspaper. He has over two decades of experience on the job.
