Fashola Advocates True Federalism for Nigeria - PM News April 30, 2013.
“The 36 state governors are demanding a truer federal system in terms of fiscal and political federalism. I associate myself with this demand in its entirety”.
“The realization of these demands on their own may not necessarily leapfrog us into El Dorado, but without them, the journey will be tortuous. If they materialize, they liberate the possibilities that lie inherent in the diverse capacities that the Nigerian states and local governments are blessed with”, “In that event, the Federal Government will not be without authority or responsibility but, in my view, it will be better able to co-ordinate the diversities for mutual prosperity”.
"Although the post-colonial era when Nigeria practiced Parliamentary Democracy with three semi-autonomous regions was not without its problems, the economy was stable as each region kept the bulk of its resources and contributed to the central government to enable it to carry out its national responsibilities."
“The system was not without its problems. But we had stable electricity. We had more food – enough to eat and enough to export. Illiteracy levels were higher but there was evidence to show that it was being addressed. Our universities had more learning in them and acquired a respectable reputation”.
"Things began to fall apart for the country when the Military intervened in governance. “We quickly began to lose our luster. The military came in and unified the regions and things have never been quite the same since.”
“Although we have a “Federal Government” the constitution was written by the Military. So we have state courts where judges are picked by the Federal Government. We have state legislators but no state police to enforce the laws they make. There are no state prisons, so we rely on Federal officers to police our states and keep convicted persons away from law-abiding citizens. We have Federal Traffic Safety Officers to issue Driver’s Licenses to drivers in the state and also seek to regulate municipal traffic inside the states”, "Many states cannot control their sources of finance such as local taxes on consumption, lotteries, and hotels, the equivalents of city and state taxes for drinks in a state like New York in the United States, adding, “The Federal Government holds on to these at worst; or encroaches upon them at the best”.
Governor Fashola said the Federal Government, in order to maintain its financial hold on the federating states, keeps 52 percent of the nation’s resources leaving the 36 federating states with 26 percent while 774 local governments share only 20 percent of the resource among them monthly."
“The debate, therefore, is not only about the cost of such a large government but also about its effectiveness."
“These are the structural challenges of the Government that we must overcome. They sum up the demand for a truer federal union that is being demanded by the 36 state governors in terms of fiscal and political federalism.”
Between Terrorism and Corruption by El'Rufai - Sahara Reporters, May 10, 2012.
El Rufai on True Federalism
“As a medium-term, structural measure, we must work to restore our federalism to the broad outlines embedded in the 1963 republican constitution, devolving more powers and responsibilities to the states and making the federal government less of a busy body. This would require that states like Bauchi whose annual internally-generated revenue is N7 billion should not run a government costing N58 billion because of monthly hand-outs from Abuja. Each state should learn to live within its means and seek to actively develop its comparative endowments. State governors will then be compelled to use their resources better and not point fingers at the federal government.”
El'Ruffai on Cash Gift to Insurgent and True Federalism.
“I believe the fundamental roots of the insurgency challenge - rewarding those who take up arms against the state with the cash hand-outs called amnesty program has to be reviewed. Any society that rewards bad behavior with cash creates a moral hazard that may consume that society. Those giving out the cash should know that they are doing no favors to anyone. Indeed, they are fostering an entitlement culture that would ultimately be the undoing of that part of the country. Boko Haram does not appear to be motivated by money, so those thinking of an amnesty-like program may need to go back to the drawing board.”
True Federalism: The plots of our governors - Vanguard, August 22, 2010.
Governor Amaechi on True Federalism
Speaking at the recent retreat organized by the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, SCCR, in Asaba, the Delta State Capital Governor Amaechi said: “We want the Federal Government to reduce the responsibilities that they have as well as the resources that they have because I am first of all a Rivers citizen before I became a Nigerian.” Making one of the strongest arguments for State Police that day, Amaechi said: “I used Rivers resources to train 300 policemen; these policemen were trained by the Israelis. We had an understanding with the police authorities in Abuja that they will remain in Rivers for some time after their training. But the moment a certain IGP came, just because he did not like a certain Amaechi, he posted the policemen out. But if we have State police, such a thing will never happen.”Author's Comments
Today, these gentlemen are not talking, so I have to remind them of the position they hold and shared enthusiastically during President Jonathan's Presidency. There is also a bonus paragraph from Governor El'Rufai on cash gifts to the Niger Delta militants. His position on cash gift to insurgents a few years ago is seemingly incongruous with his handling of the bandits/herders crisis and the financial appeasement of the Boko Haram sect by the administration in which he is an influential voice. These guys are multi-millionaire and made for life. Why they consistently allow the path of honor, integrity, and dignity to elude them remains very troubling. The Nigerian security apparatus is completely paralyzed under your watch and you do not have the gumption to rein in on the Presidency to end ethicizing the Armed Forces and the Secret Police. As I am writing this opinion, helpless villagers in some parts of Bornu State are on the run once again, fleeing from their ancestral homeland due to the invasion and deadly attacks by the Boko Haram sect. If Amotekun is dismantled, the outcome will be an unending war between the local communities and the trespassing herders and against individuals who look, act, and sound like potential kidnappers. And I do not think Myetti Allah has the resources to surmount that scenario. Therefore, the earlier the threat from Myetti Allah is contained, the safer it is for everyone. The South West was never at any time a conquered territory. So, I cannot understand the genesis of the threat coming from Myetti Allah.
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