Problems with Creating Six Super Regional Governments

J.E.Iyobhebhe

We all saw what a relatively weak centre and strong regional governments led to during the first Republic and the run up to the catastrophic civil war that claimed over one million Nigerians. We must maintain the supremacy of the centre over the federating units in a very emphatic way. We should not empower the states to get to a position where any can challenge our even think of challenging the supremacy of the Federal government politically. That is why I would be against merging the states into six merger regional governments. Two of the mega regions coming together may pose a threat to the Unity of the Federation. If the east and west had both decided at the same time to secede in 1967 would the rest of Nigeria have been able to prevail?

Dangers of Separatism and Ethnic Nationalism

Merging all the Yoruba speaking states in the south -west and Igbos of the South East will give rise to tendencies that may get out of hand again. Creating a North East and North West Region from the Far North may give rise to call for an Islamic Republic in the Far North and encourage those who don’t want any infidels in the Far North. A Niger Delta Region with capital at Port Harcourt will probably become the richest and most prosperous part of the country. Can we unite Taraba, Southern Adamawa, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kwara, Kogi, Benue, Southern Niger State, Southern Kaduna into a super Middle Belt Region?

We have had the super regions idea before and it did not work. The Federal government was too weak to supervise the old Eastern, Western and Northern Regions. With people spitting Jihad already can we afford to create a monolith again in any part of the country? Maybe when we have advanced a bit in the practice of democratic governance, tolerance of difference and playing by the rules of the game it may not be a bad idea. But at this stage in our political development it would be dangerous for corporate Nigeria to recreate super regional governments in my view. I therefore have to disagree with our former Foreign Minister and ex CW Sec-Gen on this point.

Resource Control and State Finance

I agree that some of our states are no more than glorified LGA’s that cannot survive for a month without FG allocation. We have to find better ways of making them financially viable federating units. We have to encourage internally generated revenue schemes. Even with the FG allocation most states still cant pay regular salaries to their employees. There is something wrong and we need to seriously examine this issue. I don’t agree that we should give 50% of Oil revenue to the state where the Oil is located, even though I am from the Niger Delta. This would be unfair to the rest of the country and the Far North in particular for they would be the worse affected by this. Besides, increasing derivation to 50% would weaken the centre financially and this is in nobody’s interest. The NDDC should be strengthened and derivation increased by one or two percentage above the current to appease the resource control warriors. The FG needs to be seen to be investment a fair share of the billions of dollars earned from oil revenues in the Niger Delta states.

New States

Some are still clamouring for their own LG type state when the existing once cannot sustain themselves. It would be a disaster to create new states- no matter the legitimacy of the claim of marginalization. It would be a big mistake. We cannot even make the current 36 states work. Why should we be adding to our problems?

Sharia

We need to clarify the issue of Sharia in Nigerian society. I sincerely believe that every person is entitled to practice his or her religion or faith as he or she sees fit so long as it does not impinge on the liberty or right of others to practice theirs. If the Moslems in the Far North want to live by Sharia because they believe that it is the will of the Almighty Allah then who am I to tell them that they should not? They should be entitled to live by the precepts of Sharia so long as we clarify in the Constitution the manner in which a state can declare it wants to have sharia as its primary civil and criminal code. Provided that we clarify the position of non-Moslems living in Sharia states and guarantee their Right to be tried under our general secular laws. Provided the Sharia courts are ultimately subservient to the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Provided we clarify the extent to which Sharia punishment and sentencing can impinge or over ride basic human rights. We need to clarify all these issues and more. Once we are clear on these then I see no fundamental objection to Sharia for the Far North if that is what they want. In fact some of the social aspects of Sharia can be beneficial to society.

There is generally no legal or constitutional obligation on anyone to live or work in a Sharia state. If the population in a Sharia state believe that it too harsh for them and do not want to live in these states they will simply move to the more liberal middle belt states and to the rest of the country. If the professional classes upon whom these governments depend do not favour the system, they will vote with their feet. If there are no professionals or business people left in Sharia states because they have all left, the state governors will have to import doctors and teachers and engineers and civil servants from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran ,etc.

I know there are those saying is it that easy for a poor man living in a Sharia state who does not really want Sharia to pack up and leave. I understand. But at least in a democracy, if the majority don’t want it, in theory they can refuse to vote for MPs and Governors who support Sharia. The economic realities will also draw its conclusion.

Why are we worrying unduly about Sharia? Why all the fear and panic? Sharia will sort itself out in due course. If the people in Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Yobe , Borno and maybe Gombe want Sharia, it will endure and hopefully brink peace, prosperity, progress and well- being to its people. What we all want for Nigeria. If they don’t want it, it will not endure. It will naturally fizzle out. I don’t really see what all the fuss is about provided we clarify things in the Constitution.

Local Governments

Local government is an essential part of democratic development for any nation. They are supposed to take economic development to the grass roots and promote local democracy . But most in Nigeria have become centres for massive corruption and waste. We need to decide if the FG or SG should be directly responsible for the financing of LG. Should the FG continue to send monthly allocation to SGs on behalf of the LGs. Should SGs be allowed to create new LGs like Lagos State. If a SG creates a new LG should the FG be forced to send monthly allocation to the SG on behalf of the new LG? All these issues need clarification.

The Constitution should be clear on these issues so that politicians don’t end up running to the Supreme Court every five minutes and asking Judges to be making essentially political decisions because the Drafters of our Constitution cannot be bothered to thrash out the issues.

We need to promote not diminish local democracy in Nigeria. My village, Eko -Iyobhebhe is a long way from Benin and an even longer way from Abuja. The same applies to most villages and towns in Nigeria. We need to encourage local participation. We need ways to make them more effective and viable as units of government and agents of local economic development. I would be opposed to the scrapping of LGs as units of Government.

Religion

Nigeria should continue to be a secular state with no state religion. FG should avoid joining any organization or association that gives the impression that Christianity or Islam is the state religion of Nigeria. Individuals and private organizations are of course free to associate with who ever they like.

There should be no clause in the constitution stating that positions in FG or FG bureaucracy should be shared on religious basis. First we do not know if the Christians or Moslems are in the majority. Some say 50-50. Others say because of the sizeable number of Christians in Middle Belt that the Christians are 60%. Others say because of the vast landmass of the Far North and sizeable Moslem population in the Middle belt that the Moslems are at least 55%. We do not know for certain and since religion has been a major divisive force in Nigeria best to keep it out of appointments and the constitution. Our FCC should see that we have representatives from all parts of the country in the FG. Besides, in my view appointments should be based on merit not religion.

Police

There are some people calling for a state police. I think this is premature considering that some of our politicians practice do or die and win at any cost politics. Imagine putting a police force in their hands. They will use it as their instrument of terror against their political and social opponents. It would be a disaster. We are not politically mature enough for state police forces. We need to reform the current police force, increase pay and offer better conditions and training to our policemen and women. We need to extend the war on corruption full time to the NPF. Any officer caught taking bribe should be summarily dismissed for gross misconduct. Any superior officer sharing in the loot should also be dismissed. We need an independent Police Complaints Authority to investigate allegations of corruption and bribe taking in the police with powers to prosecute erring officers. A kind of EFCC for the Police Force. We should examine how we can increase police pay by 30-40%. Maybe this will help to reduce the N20 bribe and the Balogun syndrome.

Traditional Rulers

Whatever we think of them, they are important and influential leaders in Nigeria today. They have the support and ears of their subjects and all those politicians seeking their blessing and support for election or re-election. They also play an important role as custodians of our traditional values and rich cultural heritage. They play an important role in the maintenance of law and order in their domain and in helping LG, SG or FG to quell civil, tribal, political or religious unrest. They are important in our social political and cultural life. In times of crisis after the President has spoken, our traditional rulers and religious leaders are wielded out to say their bit. We cannot ignore them. We should find a role for them.

We need to find a genuine role for them in our new constitution. At the Federal level we should find a role for the most senior six from each geo-political zone incorporated into for example the Council of State or other Federal structures. We need to keep them busy in an advisory and non -political capacity. The Architects of the New Order must not ignore them completely.

Just some observations on the new Constitution.

J.E.Iyobhebhe