Sanwo-Olu, George, others clamour for implementation of true federalism in Nigeria

The call for Nigeria to return to true federalism, if it is serious about true development was again at the front burner of political discourse yesterday as the arguing that, that is the only way Nigeria can progress, the Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George appealed to the leadership of the country to consider the option.

The event was the 3rd Annual lecture of freedom Online, an online news medium and the theme was;  Nigeria: Foundation, Fundamentals, Future, Mr Sanwo -Olu who was the guest speaker noted that the problem with Nigeria is not the Constitution but, the operators of the Constitution.

The governor said that Nigeria got it wrong when the military took over power from the civilian in 1966, and obstructed the parliamentary system of government, in which each region was developing at its own pace and brought about healthy rivalry among the three regions that were existing then.

Sanwo-Olu who was represented at the event by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat noted that Nigeria is not making progress because there are too much power vested on the Federal government, and many responsibilities that ought to be saddled in the state government have been ceded to the Federal government.

He said: “One of the legacies of military rule was the abolition of powerful and largely financially independent regional governments and replacement with weaker entities known as states. These states were of course beholden to a very powerful central government that doled out resources to them and used every opportunity to make it clear that the states were appendages of the centre.

“At the time, the regions worked hard, earned their revenues from exports, from taxes, and so on, and kept a large chunk of what they earned. None of them came to Lagos – the then Federal Capital – with caps in hands for what we now refer to as ‘Federal Allocation’. Every region survived mainly on its internally generated revenue. There was also a healthy competition among the regions.”

He maintained that hope was high when Nigeria attained independence that it would surpass nation’s like India and China, but those countries have left Nigeria behind.

He explained that Nigeria created a powerful Federal Government and weakened the state and made them irrelevant.

He said: “Today, the revenue sharing formula is 52.6 per cent for the Federal Government, 26.7 per cent to the states and 20.6 per cent to local governments. The Federal Government takes the lion share, out-muscling the State and Local Governments, which are the closest tiers to the populace. State and local governments ordinarily should be drivers of development. As it is today, it is common knowledge that most states depend on monthly allowance from Abuja to survive.

“States should be free to control the drilling of oil and mining of solid minerals and pay the required taxes and royalties to the Federation Account. Many States really have no business being poor or suffering a cash-crunch given their huge mineral deposits. There is also no reason why states cannot generate and distribute electricity and license same, within their geographical limits. This can be done in a way in which necessary returns will be made to the Federal Government.”

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He lamented that in the 1960’s the state received higher percentage of money as derivation, which he put at 45 percent but the amount was gradually reduced, to a ridiculous percentage 1.5 percent in 1994.

According to him, “As a nation, we must appreciate our goals of yesterday and our interpretation of it in carrying out tomorrow. Foundation determines fundamentals and fundamentals determine our future,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The governor said the emergence of “beggar-states” as the major constituents of the Nigeria’s federation would not take the country to the future it desires in a world that is developing rapidly.

He said the flawed federalist ideals enshrined in the 1999 Constitution had continuously limited the power of the states to pursue individual development at their own pace, stressing that Nigeria must holistically address the “fundamental question” of federalism if the political class was serious about lifting the country out of the current quagmire.

He however urged the Federal government to learn from the experience of Pakistan which changed the formulae for sharing her revenue and allocated more revenue to state,just as he stated that state can operate independently.

Sanwo-Olu urged the Federal Government to learn from China’s experience which turn the country around for good, “Federal Government should look at what China has done, with effort any nation can do well, we need to sit down and device a way out.”

Chief George who was the keynote speaker said Nigeria can never progress if it is wrapped in mutual suspicion, sectionalism and violence.

He explained that Nigeria is just a federation by name, and not a federation in practice, adding that it was so because, much power is vested in the Federal Government and there was the need for devolution of power.

“We must change our way and improve on the darkness of the past, the center must be devoid of too much power, state should be allowed to explore their natural resources. China improved because of dedication. We need to devolve power to promote progressive idea and need to promote selfless patriotism,” Chief George said.

Earlier in his welcome address, the publisher of Freedom online, Mr Gabriel Akinadewo  stressed the need to address the fundamental problem facing the country.

He lamented that not much has been done to improve the service of policemen in Nigeria, and unless the idea of having State Police is promoted and accorded the necessary attention it deserves, the issue of security will remain an albatross.

He urged the Federal Government to learn  from countries like India and Switzerland.

He said while Nigeria is frustrating local government administration, local government controls airport in America.

He maintained that if Nigeria fails to live up to expectations, it would create an avenue where the world would find an alternative to the nation .

In his response the Minister for transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi who was represented by Mr Sam Nwanko said the issue of policing is what Nigerians can work out on their own.

He lamented that what is worrisome is the state some state governments have relegated local government administration to in this country, which he said is worrisome and gave room for concern, just as he demanded to know efforts made by Nigerians to rescue local government administration from its imminent collapse.

Speaking against playing up  ethnicism, the spokesman for President Muhammad Buhari, Mallam Garba Shehu wondered  why some people criminalises some ethnic groups,saying that describing a criminal by his ethnicity leads to creating a complex problem and leads to driving Nigerians falsely, adding that there are rogues in every society, so it should not be generalised.

In the submission of former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel he said for the economy to grow, Nigerians should consume made in Nigeria goods, just  as he urged the federal government to encourage rich politicians to invest their money in Nigeria, thereby creating employment, instead of taking it abroad.