I agree the constitution need some revisions.
But even things in the constitution now are not obeyed by those in power

Please lawyers in the house, what is really wrong with the constitution? Why should we discard the constitution?

Toks2008:


Guy why you dey reason like this?

Is it not elementary knowledge is that the GDP of a country grows when resources are appropriately explored?

Imagine what will happen if each state or region manages their own reasources.

Each state in Nigeria has resources but human and natural that can be harnessed to build the state.

Canada, United states, UK and other developed countries in the world practice true federalism where states or regions control their resources thereby boosting economy growth.

In Nigeria what we have is a situation where the central govt spoon feeds the states each month, states can't control their resources and they had to depend on the FG.

I CAN'T believe I'm explaining this to you.

Ojukwu destroyed that change by bringing war. And don't you ask why the confederation was abolished? History must not repeat itself. People with brain in their head learn from history

Toks2008:


It is either resource control by states or regional as it was in the 1963 constitution

First what is our natural structure?
That is where we would derive our national structure from, advance on in through thorough development.

Wow, this is a very ignorant comment.
But I would answer your question about how restructuring would end Nigeria's economic stagnation.
In a restructured Nigeria where the federating units (you can call them states, regions or geopolitical zones) have control over their natural and human resources and not the FGN, there would be no more going to Abuja to share money with the states. Instead, the federating units would have to develop their human and natural resources to earn income, which would now be used to develop their region. For example, the SS geopolitical zone They have oil; they are in control of the oil, not FGN. All the income from oil goes to them. The leaders cannot use the excuse that Abuja has not released funds or that the funds are insufficient. The income can be used to invest in the SS region's agricultural products, which earn more income. Also, because the region controls its resources, it would earn from export tariffs on products exported to other countries.
A restructured Nigeria would end economic stagnation because it would force the federating units to develop their human and natural resources to the best of their abilities and enjoy the income from them.
Bro, do you think pipeline vandalism would happen if the SS controlled the oil? No! Why? Because who bombs where they eat from?

A restructured Nigeria would end economic stagnation because it would force the federating units to develop their human and natural resources to the best of their ability and enjoy the income from it.

hedonido:
How exactly will restructuring or true federalism 'end' Nigeria's economic stagnation? How? I'm curious.

The clamour for restructuring and true federalism would clearly give greater control to the federating units/regions, and promote a sense of localised power, but that's even unlikely - because the minorities within each region would still cry out about inequalities and marginalisation.

Then of course the most immediate reality that would emanate from true federalism is that the core North would be absolutely penurized because the largesses they have unfairly enjoyed for decades would be eliminated. So of course there would be no near term 'improvement' in the economy of the North. Rather, their economic woes will be x10 of what it is today.

The truth is that true federalism or restructuring is more a cry for justice - justice for the South specifically - than anything else. That's why the North cannot and will never entertain any such talk.

Were been rule by hausa.were under hausa siege.they decide 4 us.
all this u wrote here. No hausa man wil understand.let us just keep enduring till thy lord come

hedonido:
How exactly will restructuring or true federalism 'end' Nigeria's economic stagnation? How? I'm curious.

The clamour for restructuring and true federalism would clearly give greater control to the federating units/regions, and promote a sense of localised power, but that's even unlikely - because the minorities within each region would still cry out about inequalities and marginalisation.

Then of course the most immediate reality that would emanate from true federalism is that the core North would be absolutely penurized because the largesses they have unfairly enjoyed for decades would be eliminated. So of course there would be no near term 'improvement' in the economy of the North. Rather, their economic woes will be x10 of what it is today.

The truth is that true federalism or restructuring is more a cry for justice - justice for the South specifically - than anything else. That's why the North cannot and will never entertain any such talk.

You’re not entirely right nor wrong, this shouldn’t be made about the north. They have resources and large number of citizens they can put to good use.

The FG needs to give state the power to do a lot of things for themselves.

Vote Peter Obi for a restructured Nigeria. Peter Obi has said he will do it one of the reason he has my vote.

garfield1:


How does this affect? Development

Do u know the disproportionate allocation of resources this is causing? When Kano has LGAs twice that of Lagos.

These are the kind of mentality or demands youths should focus on.

In as much as old politicians in APC and PDP has absolutely nothing to offer but loyalty and favourism, others in other parties including we ordinary Nigerians are not any different. The corrupt mentality of Nigerian irrespective of social status are inbuilt, and there is little or nothing any leader emerge from this settings can do about it. Strong institutions is all we needed in this part of the world and not really a God like leaders. Strong institutions will make any one work and follow lay down rules irrespective of how corrupt the person might be, because if he/she do anyhow, the position he/she occupied won't help because institutions has its own law that must be enforce. This is why it easy for England and USA to make other nationalities their president and prime minister respectively.

Toks2008:


So what is the essence of maintaining the current structure that has put the south in a subservient position to the north?

Where were the southern leaders when the so called constitution was written? who do you blame here, the North or the gullible and useless southern politicians?

My problem with some of us in this forum that are saying the north will not accept. Does that mean that we have made the north to be superior to the south? Or a tribe to dominate about other 300 tribes? Let us leave this nonsense and face the reality, Nigeria belong to us all, and inability to make all tribes equal will always lead to agitation. After all, those who claimed to be superior do not have anything to show for it, and in an ideal situation, those with economic power must dictate the pace.

Toks2008:
Nigeria problem is not really about leadership but of structural anomaly brought about by a failed constitution of 1979 and amended in 1999...This is the reason why any elected president will never make any viable progress because the present constitution is very inimical to the progress of Nigeria.

Even if Jesus comes down to rule Nigeria, he will definitely restructure the entire failed system first before assuming power because even the scriptures attest in the books of psalms 11vs3 "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?"

As 2023 approaches, rather than drumming up support for any candidate or any party, Nigerians should clamor for a total overhaul of the 1979/99 constitution that has stagnated the country for several years because in my opinion, no matter who gets there, no substantial progress can ever be made with the present structure and we will only keep going round and round in circles for many years to come.

More saddening is that the leaders in political offices know this but have vehemently refused to do anything about it simply because the present unproductive structure comes with so much largesse for them.

Nigerians should come together to demand that the country returns to the 1960/63 constitution which reflects true federalism with regions as federating units or restructure the present system to allow True federation.

This will end the economic stagnation of many years, accelerate national growth, put an end to the clamor for secession and foster the unity of Nigeria thereby making her more productive, more powerful and more dominant on the global economic scene.

Before the next President embarks on any task, restructuring must be done else all his efforts will be futile and will end up like his predecessors.

If I may engage you sir/ma, who controls the national resources and the military power in this system?

Praxis758:
That 1999 document is the catalyst of various malfunctioning in this country .

Our evil-minded leaders leveraged on it to wreck havoc.

I've said it times and times again that none of the contestants has what it takes to fix this country. Our foundation is faulty, the structure is defective bcoz it favour only one region and as such we're far from being committed and loyal to our country. Not even a righteous man can achieve anything out of this country.

Toks2008:
Nigeria problem is not really about leadership but of structural anomaly brought about by a failed constitution of 1979 and amended in 1999...This is the reason why any elected president will never make any viable progress because the present constitution is very inimical to the progress of Nigeria.
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Toks2008:


So what is the essence of maintaining the current structure that has put the south in a subservient position to the north?

Toks2008:


Go and do proper research perhaps you will know better

You're very wrong.

The structural anomaly is not because of the Constitution but because of Ojukwu, Ironsi coup which abolished regionalism because they wanted to take over control of Nigeria not knowing that their own region the Eastern region was about to experience a massive and positive economic boom due to their lack of foresight.

Northern Nigeria will never allow it and the U:K will never allow it because it allowed and still allows Sh:ell oil company to become the oil Juggernaut that it is today and one of the main reasons Nigeria never had a functioning ref:inery.

hedonido has given you the best answer...

Blame the I:gbos for the woes southern Nigeria is suffering and not the Constitution.

Although no structure is fool proof

But elective and executive position especially at the federal level is too lucrative

Let every state control their resources and only pay royalties to federal government

hedonido:


You've not said anything in response to specific concerns raised. Such escapist brevity doesn't signpost wit or wisdom.

The north is sitting on resources more valuable than crude oil. Agriculture alone can transform the north to one of the richest parts of Africa, not just Nigeria.
This unitary system doesn't encourage states to look inwards, generate their own income and pull their people out of poverty.

Toks2008:
Nigeria problem is not really about leadership but of structural anomaly brought about by a failed constitution of 1979 and amended in 1999...This is the reason why any elected president will never make any viable progress because the present constitution is very inimical to the progress of Nigeria.

Even if Jesus comes down to rule Nigeria, he will definitely restructure the entire failed system first before assuming power because even the scriptures attest in the books of psalms 11vs3 "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?"

As 2023 approaches, rather than drumming up support for any candidate or any party, Nigerians should clamor for a total overhaul of the 1979/99 constitution that has stagnated the country for several years because in my opinion, no matter who gets there, no substantial progress can ever be made with the present structure and we will only keep going round and round in circles for many years to come.

More saddening is that the leaders in political offices know this but have vehemently refused to do anything about it simply because the present unproductive structure comes with so much largesse for them.

Nigerians should come together to demand that the country returns to the 1960/63 constitution which reflects true federalism with regions as federating units or restructure the present system to allow True federation.

This will end the economic stagnation of many years, accelerate national growth, put an end to the clamor for secession and foster the unity of Nigeria thereby making her more productive, more powerful and more dominant on the global economic scene.

Before the next President embarks on any task, restructuring must be done else all his efforts will be futile and will end up like his predecessors.

We don't even have respect for established systems

codemaniacs:


You're very wrong.

The structural anomaly is not because of the Constitution but because of Ojukwu, Ironsi coup which abolished regionalism because they wanted to take over control of Nigeria not knowing that their own region the Eastern region was about to experience a massive and positive economic boom due to their lack of foresight.

Northern Nigeria will never allow it and the U:K will never allow it because it allowed and still allows Sh:ell oil company to become the oil Juggernaut that it is today and one of the main reasons Nigeria never had a functioning ref:inery.

hedonido has given you the best answer...

Blame the I:gbos for the woes southern Nigeria is suffering and not the Constitution.

Yes I believe in regions ran govt

And I think there's something sinister about nigeria not having a functional refinery

Maybe there's an unwritten rule about the year nig must have a refinery

That system didn't work back them. It was an imported constitution from Britain. Britain works because the English comprises a vast majority (over 70% of the population), and unlike us Nigerians, they are not tribal in nature. This is evident by the fact that foreigners like Nigerians can go there and become mayors and supreme court leaders.

Nigeria is an ethnic jungle. People welcomed the 1970s constitutional amendment when it came then because the old constitution very nearly split the country apart (civil war and such).

For one, the old constitution doesn't account for the fact that there are over 250 minority groups living in Nigeria. Which was an oversight by our colonizers who simply lumped everyone into Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. A crude mimicry of their home system of English, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish, which are the only ethnic groups. In this constitution, a lot of minority groups where sidelined, couldn't hope for their own people getting key positions on a national level even in their own home, as the regions where not evenly distributed, e.g Eastern Region, Western Region, and Northern Region.

In Nigeria today, people are already marginalized. Imagine what happens when it no longer becomes legally enforced for Inclusivity on employment. If left to their own devices, each state would only employ people native to their own state. A lot of agitations would spring out, and we'll have another civil war in our hands.

I went indepth on this and even thought up a better way that Nigeria can be governed, one that doesn't draw from both the current and old constitution. I called it the Winning Horse Constitution. Read all about it here:

https://www.nairaland.com/7379603/created-new-nigerian-constitution-what

I absolutely agree with you

This is the most sensible thread on nairaland in years!

yemmit90:
These are the kind of mentality or demands youths should focus on.

In as much as old politicians in APC and PDP has absolutely nothing to offer but loyalty and favourism, others in other parties including we ordinary Nigerians are not any different. The corrupt mentality of Nigerian irrespective of social status are inbuilt, and there is little or nothing any leader emerge from this settings can do about it. Strong institutions is all we needed in this part of the world and not really a God like leaders. Strong institutions will make any one work and follow lay down rules irrespective of how corrupt the person might be, because if he/she do anyhow, the position he/she occupied won't help because institutions has its own law that must be enforce. This is why it easy for England and USA to make other nationalities their president and prime minister respectively.

Did Obama say he's from Kenya or the guy in UK say he's from India

You think it's only descents that make you a citizen of a country

Exactly! Nigeria needs to be restructured. Without that there wont be real change.

Blakjewelry:

Many people don't seem to understand the root cause of our problems, as the FG feeding the state directly power is far from the people, the primary focus on governance should be the local government, then state before the federal government because the local council is closest to the people. I even I have blueprint on how the local government can change Nigeria.
For instance if each local government decide to provide modern farming equipment and too to hire to farmers for a small fee, then provide storage facilities for storage of perishable goods like chicken, tomatoes, vegetables etc. What if local government decide to keep their local government area clean by sweeping sand and dirt of the road, clean drainage and waste for small fee, it will create employment also. What if local government decide to repair maintain street lights provided state government and other intervention bodies. The list is endless.

This article is full of wisdom...

duro4chang:
Please lawyers in the house, what is really wrong with the constitution? Why should we discard the constitution?

For a start, the constitution has about 68 items on the exclusive list. These items are exclusive to states and only the president and federal government can decide on them.

An example is fishing on the high seas. It is illegal to go fish on the sea. Imagine that?

States can't generate and distribute their own electricity. e.t.c

Their are a lot of things in that barbaric constitution but we need to do more to enlighten our people.

If you don't restructure how our security agencies work, there would be problem
--Let them know that the role of the military is to guide our border
--the military has no business with the internal affair of the country. Last year some military officers claim they arrested yahoo boy, so shocking
--The show of strength is not by assaulting unarmed civilians or burning houses
--the present roadblock by the police is NOT USEFUL AND WILL NOT YIELD
--If there would be a roadblock, not the one people would be delayed for hours
--They should make a compulsory emergency lane for an ambulance and our armed forces (not politicians)
--many more


It is high time we start thinking like real human beings and not like we are in the zoo(anything goes)

Toks2008:


It is either resource control by states or regional as it was in the 1963 constitution

autonomous region or federating units is the only way to go.
Many of the so called minorities are the real people providing the resources lavished in the north that is claiming majority because of a fraudulent paper written and called constitution, if Nigeria goes back to regional government it will really stop most of the problems Nigeria is facing, and it will bring about developmental competition amongst the regions, eg in education the north makes no effort at all because they believe no matter what the quota must be completed whether they read or not, same thing goes with employment and other spheres of Nigerian survival. Nigeria have already made a mistake in being too lenient to the overtures and evil scheming of the fulanis.

What Nigeria needs now is an aboriginal constitution that will spell out what the indigenes really wants in their respective places and not a fraudulent piece of paper written by a particular people for an obvious dubious and devious reasons.

Enceladus:


For a start, the constitution has about 68 items on the exclusive list. These items are exclusive to states and only the president and federal government can decide on them.

An example is fishing on the high seas. It is illegal to go fish on the sea. Imagine that?

States can't generate and distribute their own electricity. e.t.c

Their are a lot of things in that barbaric constitution but we need to do more to enlighten our people.

Thank you. But why is it difficult to change or amend all those areas even under Obasanjo?

hedonido:
How exactly will restructuring or true federalism 'end' Nigeria's economic stagnation? How? I'm curious.

The clamour for restructuring and true federalism would clearly give greater control to the federating units/regions, and promote a sense of localised power, but that's even unlikely - because the minorities within each region would still cry out about inequalities and marginalisation.

Then of course the most immediate reality that would emanate from true federalism is that the core North would be absolutely penurized because the largesses they have unfairly enjoyed for decades would be eliminated. So of course there would be no near term 'improvement' in the economy of the North. Rather, their economic woes will be x10 of what it is today.

The truth is that true federalism or restructuring is more a cry for justice - justice for the South specifically - than anything else. That's why the North cannot and will never entertain any such talk.

This is what they want you to believe, North is rich in mineral resources, vast land for agriculture and skillful youths for wealth creation.
Before the discovery of crude oil, Nigeria economy was doing well with Cocoa and groundnut. Today, most of the tomatoes �, onions �, etc are mostly coming from north... And the list continues.
Today gold � in zamfara is not going to the federation account but oil in the south is the national cake �.
The problem is north runs a system that favours a few people, that's why even though most richest in this country, the poorest also comes from there.

If today Nigeria decided to go to regional government, it will only take a few years and north will be on top again.

benjaminlawson:
My problem with some of us in this forum that are saying the north will not accept. Does that mean that we have made the north to be superior to the south? Or a tribe to dominate about other 300 tribes? Let us leave this nonsense and face the reality, Nigeria belong to us all, and inability to make all tribes equal will always lead to agitation. After all, those who claimed to be superior do not have anything to show for it, and in an ideal situation, those with economic power must dictate the pace.

It means that the north will not accept it and one of the only ways the south can restructure is to declare war on northern Nigeria and that will lead to another civil war.

The other way the south either SW SS SE can restructure is to create a company that will be buying all the oil blocks when it's time to bid and also buy the airports seaports railways in the south.
In summary, either SW SS SE has to do what China is doing..