The recent move in the National Assembly to create another state in the South East might sound attractive to the people of the region. But, it seems to undermine the struggle for the restructuring of the nation’s political system to reflect true federalism.
Besides, it appears unattainable, given the provisions of the constitution. The legislators know this. They are only using it for diversionary purposes and to pamper the sentiments of the South East. To that extent, it is unfair.
What lovers of this nation should fight hard for is this restructuring which a good number of Nigerians have recommended as the cure for an ailing Nigeria. Parties upon parties have used it in their manifestos to win power but have jettisoned it on climbing to the throne.
It is quite unfortunate that Nigeria’s political space is littered with broken promises.
In the last general election in 2023, all the prominent presidential candidates agreed to the fact that the nation’s political structure requires a major shakeup. After the entire hullabaloo that characterised that election, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was sworn in. Since then, nothing more is being heard about restructuring.
Before the late Gen. Muhamadu Buhari came to power, his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) had it in their manifesto which was readily accessible in their website then. It is common knowledge how far the administration dragged us to or away from restructuring.
The Goodluck Jonathan administration under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2014 went as far as setting up an assembly of eminent Nigerians that brought out a document that was to specify how Nigerians were to coexist in peace. Amid all the harassment and intimidation, Jonathan shelved the implementation of the document, fearing that it might jeopardize his chances of winning a second term in 2015. He lost the election regardless.
Why it is difficult for Nigeria to have its political structure, and by extension its constitution, rearranged is that any politician that comes into power discovers the sweetness of the present structure in achieving his selfish ends.
We have this playing up right from the military government of General Yakubu Gowon, who signed the Aburi Accord in 1966 but reneged on it because he and his team had their eyes on oil blocks in the oil-rich east.
We had a transition from military to civilian government without actually changing to a democracy. This is because the military wrote the constitution and handed over to the civilians, giving enormous powers to the centre. And so, holding the yam and the knife, whoever controls the centre cuts according to his whims and caprices.
A second reason is that the status quo favours a particular group of people in Nigeria in terms of power and control.
Recently, renowned lawyer, Olisa Agbakoba put out a position paper where he diagnosed our ailing nation and prescribed a constitution that specifies devolution of powers from the all powerful centre to the federating units.
Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Commonwealth Secretary General, is leading a group of patriots to demand a constitution that devolves power to federating units, a constitution that, according to him, fosters peace, unity and prosperity among Nigerians, indeed a “we, the people…” constitution.
This desired constitution, according to the group, must reflect a truly federal system of governance in Nigeria, among other things.
Looking at the personalities in the group, one is convinced that they are not talking rubbish.
Socio- cultural groups such as Afenifere for Yoruba and Ohanaeze, for Igbo have variously canvassed this all important restructuring, all to no avail.
Creation of states have no place in a true federation which arises when different peoples of fairly homogenous culture and consanguinity gather voluntarily and decide to willingly submit their sovereignty to a federal government. As we gradually come to terms with the bundle of falsehood our nation has turned to be, we begin to realize that federating units are not created in the manner we create states in Nigeria. Federating units exist as entities possessing distinctiveness and affinity. That states are created in Nigeria is an indication that the country is not a federation as it is referred to. In other words, Nigeria must be sure of its federating units to fully claim to be federal.
We stand on the rooftops and shout restructuring to get to power and refuse to do it afterwards.
High levels of deceit have gone unchallenged in the life of Nigeria. The culture has permeated the nation’s fabric to the point that when a president Donald Trump reminded us that we were bleeding profusely from a particular part of our body, all we did was deny it regardless of the peril we face. Let us restructure. It will help.
Dr. Odu can be reached through [email protected] or SMS 07016722929
