An Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) member, Mr. Bisi Adegbuyi, yesterday called for confederalism to foster national unity and enhance healthy competition among the component units.
He said the pre-existing six regions should form the component units under the confederalism arrangement.
”Nigeria will now become the United Regions of Nigeria,” Adegbuyi, a lawyer and member of the 2014 National Conference, told reporters in Lagos.
The former Postmaster-General believed the success of confederalism in the United Arab Emirates should encourage Nigeria to adopt the practice.
He said the country was ripe for a reset, urging leaders, politicians and statesmen to rise to the challenge so that their names could be written in gold.
Adegbuyi said parliamentary system would foster good governance, promote public accountability and reduce corruption.
He said statistics showed that the best run democracies in the world were the ones that adopted cabinet system, while corruption was associated with the practice of presidential system in the least developed 50 countries.
Adegbuyi disagreed with those nursing the fear of disintegration, if confederalism is adopted, pointing out that they are ill-informed about its advantages.
He said the reality of big market, economic gains, autonomy and regional security would compel the regions to subscribe to national unity in diversity.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari, who meant well for the country, could not achieve his aspirations for Nigeria because the system was faulty.
Adegbuyi described Buhari as a victim of systemic failure, noting that his successors might face the same challenge if the system of government was not resolved.
He said if the current system persists, it may be difficult for the next president to make any impact.
Adegbuyi recalled that tragedy hit Nigeria when soldiers sacked legitimate authorities and foisted on the country a strange unitary system through Decree 34 of 1966.
He lamented that while the coup plotters and first set of military rulers had good intentions, their lack of knowledge about civil administration became an obstacle.
Adegbuyi said unless Nigerians embraced political reforms, the country might remain static.
He urged patriotic Nigerians pushing for restructuring to restrategise and refocus their communication strategies in a way that would not make other Nigerians to view their crusade with hostility.
The lawyer-activist said the emphasis should be the push for political reforms that were broad, encompassing and capable of bringing about a fundamental systemic change.
Adegbuyi said when people are nostalgic about the Awolowo, Bello and Zik/Okpara days, they are simply calling for genuine federalism and regional autonomy.
He said while the previous national conferences made genuine recommendations along the path of federalism, successive administrations failed to implement the report.
He said Nigerians can pardon Buhari for not implementing the 2014 conference report, recalling that the president publicly declared that he never believed in the endeavour.
Adegbuyi said the blame for the non-implementation of the report should go to former President Goodluck Jonathan, who developed cold feet before vacating power.
Adegbuyi lamented that the various incremental constitution amendments have failed to reposition the country and advance the cause of federalism.
He said:”Incremental constitution amendments of 1999 Constitution cannot take Nigeria to a prosperous future. It is a major challenge that is clear to the legislators.”
Adegbuyi described the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as the answer in 2023.
He hailed Northern governors and others who support power shift to the South.
Adegbuyi urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) standard-bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to realise the potential resistance to succession of another Northerner to President Buhari after next year’s election.
He added:”Atiku should have risen above partisan politics to be a statesman by not contesting the 2023 election. If he had done so, a roadmap to national unity would have been created.”