By Festus Eriye
The recent Southern governors summit in Asaba, Delta State, has shaken things up like very few political events have in recent memory.
This isn’t because the ideas that emerged from the gathering were so radical or novel. ‘Restructuring’ is a word that’s been bouncing around the left of the political spectrum for decades. It’s mainstreaming by the governors simply confirms it’s a concept whose day has come.
Perhaps what has stirred unease in the establishment is that such a communique issued from a bipartisan gathering of ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors. But so compelling and communal are the troubles they face that political affiliations took a back seat.
Still, it would have been expecting too much to think that their proposals wouldn’t annoy those who, in spite of all that’s going on, think things are just great; all that’s needed is a little police action and we can all sleep soundly.
So, former Nasarawa State Governor, Adamu Abdullahi, accused the governors of ‘betrayal of trust’ and undermining the sovereignty of the country.
One time Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf, faulted the resolution because the governors didn’t consult Fulani leaders before banning open grazing.
From somewhere in Dubai former Vice President Atiku Abubakar headed awkwardly for the high road – condemning regionalism – without addressing the issues raised by the governors. His was a nice way of weighing in on a hot topic without saying anything.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan was equally unhappy with the fact the Asaba Accord issued from a regional base. He would have preferred if all governors – north and south – had come together. Another inoffensive intervention that conveniently ignores the fact that Northern governors have been meeting for ages and none of today’s apostles of oneness ever spoke against their congregating on regional terms.
In the end what the governors came up with in Asaba was just the base minimum needed to begin to address the contradictions threatening to sink the country.
Anyone with an objective view would admit that our existing governance and constitutional arrangements are not working, and major shake-up is needed. Whether you call it ‘restructuring’ or constitutional amendment, something just has to give. The US which appears to have a settled system of government has made several amendments to its constitution.
I’m not too sure why the term ‘restructuring’ provokes such intense emotions in certain quarters. Perhaps it’s because it’s so nebulous that some believe it’s ultimately about balkanisation of the nation.
In reality it’s about reshaping the country through resource control and redistribution, devolution of power; it’s about moving certain items from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List in the constitution. It’s about examining the size of government at different levels to eliminate waste and ensure sustainability.
Every ad-hoc national conference that’s been organised in the country has come up with a template for these changes. The only problem is no government has shown any real appetite for constitutional reforms.
It has always been my position that whatever our restructuring dreams are, the most pragmatic option for realising them is to go through the National Assembly.
Unfortunately, that is where the process of change looks set to meet the greatest resistance. At a time the nation is crying for forward-looking leaders, we are saddled with legislative leadership that is desperately trying to preserve a crumbling status quo.
This is clear from the reaction of Senate President Ahmed Lawan to the governors’ communique where he berated them for deigning to suggest ‘restructuring.’
He said: “I believe that, as leaders, especially those of us who are elected, should not be at the forefront of calling for this kind of thing because, even if you are a governor, you are supposed to be working hard in your state to ensure that this restructuring you are calling for at the federal level, you have done it in your state as well.”
Lawan’s comments expose him as shockingly out of touch. His challenge to the governors to begin restructuring from their end is evidence of narrow-mindedness and mental fogginess. The constitutional issues people are complaining about can only be resolved at federal level; states don’t amend the constitution.
The Senate President is horrified that governors were in the “forefront of calling for “this kind of thing.” “This kind of thing” Mr. Senator are merely constitutional changes which you and your colleagues have sat on for two years – doing nothing.
For these governors – none of whom can be accused of being a revolutionary – to sit together and come up with such a consensus is something no wise person should dismiss.
If Lawan and company think that the present system favours their region and so should be preserved at all cost, he should take another look at that region – beginning from his home state Yobe which has become a regular stomping ground for Boko Haram insurgents.
‘Restructuring’ is to query whether Nigeria needs a bicameral National Assembly which is costing N128 billion to finance in the current budget? The Senate, for instance, is a luxury that a nation in dire economic straits cannot afford. Perhaps this is one reason “this sort of thing” is such a stomach-churning proposition for Lawan.
Nigeria’s existing security arrangements come from a time with different challenges. It was an era when terror, kidnappings, banditry, secessionist agitations, the internet and financial crimes were unknown. Today, all these and more are on the plate of state and federal governments and their efforts at containing them have, so far, been underwhelming.
Politicians in Abuja love the power that comes from sitting over a federal police with a central command structure. Unfortunately, they cannot fund the force which is in sorry shape. Across the country the Nigeria Police is being financed by many state governments – even down to payment of salaries. Yet, some still dream that this degenerating organisation shouldn’t be restructured.
With the exception of Lagos and a handful of others most states are unsustainable. They cannot pay their workers’ salaries or pensions. Shouldn’t we be thinking of consolidating states?
Even the much-talked about relationship between states and local governments is an issue that needs addressing. We should decide whether to scrap local governments since they are not federating units and allow states the freedom to make their own internal developmental arrangements.
These are some of the issues that restructuring seeks to address – even if defenders of the status quo would have you believe otherwise.
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