₦airaland Forum

• Calls for new Nigerian constitution
• Names Atiku as the best man for the job


A renowned constitutional lawyer from the United States with extensive  knowledge of African and Nigerian political systems , Mr. W. Bruce DelValle, the founding partner at DelValle Law PLLC, Washington D.C, has called for a restructuring of the country with a  new constitution, just as he thinks that the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, of all candidates is the best candidate for the 2023 presidential election from the perspective of restructuring of the country with a blueprint on how to achieve it.


Mr DelValle spoke at the National Support Group (NSG)  Independence Day Lecture Series and launch of a book, "THE LEGEND:  ATIKU, OYOYO...NEXT TO LEAD" , written by Comrade Seye Akanmu-Bode, the Convener of the Group in honour of the former Vice President. It was a zoom session that attracted some Nigerians who wanted to get perspectives on the theme of the lecture,  "The Changing Values of Local Government: beyond the dichotomy of centralisation and decentralisation in Nigeria's Federalism ".

The moderator opened the event with a synopsis of the issues plaguing local self government in Nigeria, while the convener, Comrade Akanmu-Bode in his welcome address comparatively analysed Germany's federal system where though, the States control the local governments and manage educational policies and also hold primary responsibility for public security and the administration of justice, but the local governments are given a wide range of functions with efficiency in the provision of utilities ( electricity, gas and water), operate the hospitals and public recreation facilities and administer youth and social assistance programs. In Nigeria, local governments can't even perform the simplest task assigned to them by the constitution as they suffer from encroachment from the states in their assigned fields.


 Mr DelValle kick started the discussion by asking Nigerians to have a "common purpose" on the direction of the country and said that "centralised holding of the country can't hold" and advocated for a "locally base police".  He also made a critique of the 1976 Local Government reforms which he said was not essentially to grant autonomy to the LG but to take powers away from the traditional rulers! 

To Mr DelValle, the restructuring of the country with a new constitution is the only feasible solution if Local governments are to achieve its core mission of enhancing democratic participation of the local people; liberty or autonomy; and efficiency. 


The second discussant was Dr Olubunmi Akande of department of Politics and International Relations , Lead City University, Ibadan,  she differed with Mr DelValle on the issue of state police as she took us down memory lane of how the system was abused during the first republic by the respective regional governments. There was of course a convergence of thoughts that Local governments are indeed grossly inefficient in Nigeria, this according to her is traceable to the facts that when States were created, most of them weren't viable and to meet their obligations, they had to take over the taxing power and functions of the local governments and without revenue, nothing can be done. She called for a constitutional amendment that will really spell out the powers and functions of the local governments and protect them from encroachment by the States. 

It was indeed an exhilarating discussion with the participants commending the discussants for their insightful analyses.  The climax of the event was the launch of the book, ATIKU Oyoyo,...Next to Lead, written by the convener of the NSG, Comrade Seye Akanmu-Bode. The book reviewer was a youth activist and the Organising Secretary of the Group, Mr Romanus Onyealor. The book is available only in E-book format and can be  purchased on Amazon.

Useless lawyer.

Funny

Gaddafiyusf:
Useless lawyer.

How is that so... why ?