₦airaland Forum

AMID Nigeria’s ongoing pursuit of a better future, the Patriots, a respected group of senior citizens and thought leaders led by former Commonwealth Secretary-General Emeka Anyaoku, have once again raised their voices at a crucial moment. With rising misery among ordinary citizens and uncertainty clouding the country’s political future, their renewed call for genuine federalism is timely and essential.

The Patriots’ intentions are clear: they seek the country’s progress. In the past 26 years, Nigeria’s foundations as a developing country have eroded, with deepening social and economic fault lines. In 2018, Nigeria overtook India as the world’s poverty capital, recording 86.7 million citizens in extreme poverty.

Terror groups headlined by Islamic groups, bandits, kidnappers, oil militants and separatist agitators create a potent brew of insecurity, pain, blood and worsening privation.

The security system is inadequate. It protects the VIPs and excludes the majority. The aberration of a single police force for a federal state is compounded by the low number of officers and the illegal deployment of two-thirds of the corps to protect VIPs.



To counter this, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, advocates for an elite police corps to protect VIPs exclusively. That thinking is shallow: security is for every taxpayer, not just the wealthy.

The insecurity remains infernal. Under Muhammadu Buhari (2015-2023), over 55,000 Nigerians died in violence. The situation has barely improved under the incumbent.

It is a bad moment. Elections divide the people more. The judiciary has hijacked the people’s mandate by imposing misfits as election winners based on spurious technicalities.

Voter apathy is a political curse: only 27 per cent voted in the 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections compared to 52.3 per cent voter turnout at the inception of the Fourth Republic in 1999.

Critical public services, such as education and health, languish. No Nigerian university ranks among the top 1,000 among its global peers. This is embarrassing.

The sordid state of health reflected in the July 13 death of Buhari in a London hospital, a city he used for his treatments throughout his eight-year tenure. Umaru Yar’Adua, president from 2007 to 2010, died in a Saudi Arabian hospital in 2010. With no notable public hospital, Nigerians spent $3.6 billion annually on medical tourism under Buhari.

Central to these failings is the excessive control wielded by the federal centre over resources generated by sub-national units, manifested each month during revenue sharing. This system discourages competition, innovation, and productivity, replacing them with corruption, dependency, and a dangerous sense of entitlement.

Canvassing true federalism, the Patriots have been at the forefront of correcting these ills. There is little magic that can lift the economy without first undertaking political restructuring to a true federal state.

This became clear again at the Patriots’ July 15-17 summit in Abuja, in conjunction with the Nigerian Political Summit Group, rekindling debate over Nigeria’s future as a fragile consortium of over 250 ethnic nationalities burdened by a pseudo-federal constitution.

As usual, the group restated its recommendations – fiscal federalism or resource control, dual sovereignty, which pares the excessive powers of the central government, state and community police forces, a lean cabinet and e-transmission of election results.


Themed ‘Actualising a Constitutional Democracy That Works for All in Nigeria’, the summit advocates a ban on defection during a political cycle, single-day polls, secularism, a one-chamber parliament and Diaspora voting. These reforms could foster true federalism and entrench a sustainable democratic ethos.

Indeed, the 1999 Constitution remains unfit for purpose. Hurriedly imposed as the military dictators made their way out in 1999, it is designed for a unitary system, not federalism.

It disproportionately benefits a tiny band of the bent political class, who live in obscene luxury while the majority wallow in poverty.

The Federal Government (a single entity) appropriates 52.68 per cent of all revenues, leaving the 36 states to share just 26.72 per cent. The 774 local governments receive 20.60 per cent and 13 per cent reserved for oil derivation. That is a formula for self-centredness that stifles initiative.

The document falsely claims it is by the people. This is untrue; it was an imposition. This is the main point of the Patriots: Nigeria is not functioning because the foundation of its fundamental law is flawed. That is why every NASS since 1999 has been amending the constitution in a motion without real progress.

The 10th NASS is engaged in an amendment exercise; like the past exercises, it is a waste of time and resources and will also end in futility. This is akin to patching a worn cloth; after many patches, the cloth ends up worse and finally becomes unusable. This is the case with the 1999 Constitution.

It legislates 774 LGs in it. This is contentious primarily because federalism entails dual sovereignty – the centre and the federating units or sub-nationals.

Take Canada. It has 10 provinces and three territories. The provinces are self-governing; the three territories are under the control of the centre. Other federations like Australia, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland operate on similar lines of federalism.

The solution is simple: remove the LGs from the constitution and give states the power of control to create or merge as they wish.

Therefore, The PUNCH stands with the Patriots in advocating a new constitution, not piecemeal amendments. The lessons from elsewhere should guide the parliamentarians and the executive.

The American Constitution, written in 1787 and inaugurated in 1789, has witnessed only 27 amendments. The First Amendment, termed the Bill of Rights, occurred in 1791 with 10 new pieces of legislation. The 27th (last) amendment occurred in 1992.

Incidentally, the Patriots restated the ideals of true federalism before President Bola Tinubu in August 2024. His response was non-committal: Tinubu said his focus is on the economy. He misses the point.

Like his predecessors, Tinubu resists restructuring in office but could revert to supporting reforms once out.

Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007) vacillates between opinions, recently asserting that the constitution is not the problem but the operators. This ignores the economic distress and violence ravaging the land.


Tinubu has engineered his version of restructuring, instigating the Supreme Court to grant financial autonomy to the local governments, which still begs the issues.

After the July 12 LG polls in Lagos, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu banned the elected officials from appointing their secretaries! Where is the autonomy?

First, the basis is still sharing, which is wrong. In true federalism, there is no sharing. In the United States, the states control the LGs and create them as they deem fit.

In the 1963 Republican Constitution, the regions controlled the councils. There was no sharing then: the regions retained 50 per cent of their incomes, sent 30 per cent to the distributable pool and 20 per cent to the centre.

This arrangement, upturned by the military after it hijacked power in January 1966, is what the Patriots seek to restore.

Tinubu should be true to himself. He fought a running battle with Obasanjo as the governor of Lagos State when he created 37 local development area councils, but has now seized the LG allocations of Osun State.

Unfortunately, time runs out for the 10th parliament and Tinubu. They have less than two years to complete their tenure. By 2026, the focus will be on the 2027 election, leaving little time for restructuring.

Tinubu should set up a constituent assembly to decide a new federal constitution for Nigeria, as advocated by the Patriots. It will then be voted on in a referendum.

This is the best way out of Nigeria’s political conundrum.

Ofunaofu:
https://punchng.com/true-federalism-listen-to-the-patriots-call/

Ofunaofu:
https://punchng.com/true-federalism-listen-to-the-patriots-call/

Ofunaofu:
https://punchng.com/true-federalism-listen-to-the-patriots-call/

chiagozien:
What is the difference between true federalism and Aburi Accord that your Nigeria hero Gowon failed to honour.



He recently claim he was having fever before going to Aburi.

onuman:
"This arrangement, upturned by the military after it hijacked power in January 1966, is what the Patriots seek to restore."

Nigeria is the only country in the world where military dictators from one region created its political structure and supervised the country's constitution - no consultation of the country's people through a referendum on the political structure, constitution and governance system.

Kingpele:
True federalism is not too difficult to achieve..even this write fail short of what true federalism is all above...state police and resource control is the most important expect of working federalism...but the greed of the elites will not allow them to do the right thing....moreover resource control and state police will reduce tribalism and religious issues in the country...if a state is managing its resources and paying taxes to the FG ..then states will be accountable to the resident in terms of security and development of of solid infrastructures....

UncleAyo:
Nigeria is a richly diverse nation with over 250 ethnic groups and more than 500 languages. Yet, despite this diversity, the current centralized structure of governance does not fully reflect the nation's cultural, economic, or political realities. The call for a regional government is not a call for division, but for true federalism—a structure that ensures equity, autonomy, and accelerated development for all constituent parts of the country. A regional system, especially one based on linguistic and ethnic identity, is not only logical but necessary for sustainable progress.


Why Regional Government is Important

1. Restoration of True Federalism
Nigeria started as a federation of regions, each with autonomy over its resources and policies. This structure allowed for healthy competition, innovation, and rapid development. Returning to a regional system would restore that spirit and eliminate the overdependence on the federal government.


2. Better Representation and Leadership
In a regional structure, each region can elect a leader that truly understands and represents its people, values, and aspirations. For instance, the South-East could choose Peter Obi, a visionary known for his administrative prudence (Yinmu), to lead its affairs, while the South-West might choose any Yoruba leader with integrity and experience.


3. Faster Economic Development
Each region can focus on its strengths—agriculture in the Middle Belt, oil and gas in the Niger Delta, technology and finance in the South-West, and commerce in the South-East. Without the bottlenecks of a central authority, regions will be free to grow their economies, attract investment, and create jobs.


4. Reduced Ethnic Tensions and Political Friction
Much of Nigeria's ethnic conflict stems from a perceived or real sense of marginalization. When people are governed by those from their cultural background, there is more trust, accountability, and peace. Regional governance eliminates the "us vs. them" mentality in national politics.


5. Efficient Use of Resources
A centralized government often leads to duplication of efforts and wastage. With regional governance, resources will be better managed and tailored to local needs. For example, a Yoruba regional government can implement policies suited to its socio-economic structure without interference from a distant Abuja.


Why Regionality Should Be Based on Language and Ethnicity

Nigeria’s major problem isn’t just bad leadership—it is a lack of structural compatibility. A nation that groups people of vastly different cultures, languages, and histories under a one-size-fits-all government is bound to experience friction.

1. Cultural Cohesion and Unity
People naturally feel more connected to those who speak the same language and share the same history. A Yoruba man from Kogi will naturally relate more with someone from Lagos or Osun than with a neighbor from another tribe. By grouping regions along ethnic-linguistic lines, we ensure unity and loyalty within regions.


2. Educational and Media Benefits
Language-based regions can teach and promote their languages, histories, and values in schools and media. This revives endangered languages and preserves culture.


3. Tailored Governance
Different regions have different ways of life. For instance, laws and policies that work in the North may not suit the South. Regional governments based on ethnicity can create context-sensitive policies and governance systems. E.g Sharia + Hisbah police in the North vs Amotekun in the South


4. Freedom of Association and Identity
Every ethnic group has the right to protect its identity and development. A Yoruba from Kwara or Edo should be allowed to belong to a Yoruba region instead of being lumped with people who don't share the same values or interests.




Examples of Regional Leaders in a Functional System

South-East Region: Peter Obi — known for transparency, frugality, and youth empowerment. (Yinmu)

South-West Region: A visionary Yoruba leader focused on innovation, education, and cultural preservation.

Middle Belt Region: An agrarian reformer with experience in food production and conflict resolution.

South-South Region: A resource-focused leader who can negotiate resource control and environmental justice.

North-West & North-East: Leaders chosen by their people, with deep roots in local traditions and equipped to tackle regional security and education challenges.



A regional government system in Nigeria is not only feasible—it is essential. The current centralized system is too disconnected from the people, too prone to abuse, and too fragile to sustain peace and progress. Let each region determine its path, develop at its pace, and choose its leaders. Let the Yoruba speak for themselves, the Igbo for themselves, the Hausa-Fulani, the Ijaw, the Tiv, the Idoma, and so on. Only then will we see a Nigeria that is just, peaceful, prosperous, and united in diversity.

Amerengues2:
True Federalism is a mirage presently! I pray God do something about this country. Now i understand when someone said that, after God created Nigeria, He went to the backyard to laugh

Kingpele:
True federalism is not too difficult to achieve..even this write fail short of what true federalism is all above...state police and resource control is the most important expect of working federalism...but the greed of the elites will not allow them to do the right thing....moreover resource control and state police will reduce tribalism and religious issues in the country...if a state is managing its resources and paying taxes to the FG ..then states will be accountable to the resident in terms of security and development of of solid infrastructures....

Kay17:
The call for "true" federalism is shallow and without content. There are a thousand ways to organize a federation, and there is no blue print from the heavens that dictate how it should look like in a super-multicultural society like ours.

It is amazing that we do not, or rather refuse, to learn the lessons of Nigerian history and overglamourize the 1960s. The so-called regionalism was not as appealing as most people make it out. First, the regions were not working because all the minorities within those regions felt overshadowed. The North was an amalgamation of hundreds of ethno-cultural identities which was more than just Hausa-Fulani; just as the Western and Eastern regions were. The 36 states directly came out of these agitations. The so-called true federalism was unable to withstand the very first challenge to its legitimacy. The country was more divided then than now.

If the so-called federalists read the final report of the Constitution Drafting Committee, they would have known that there was a deliberate step-away from the Westminster system and the confederated federalism because a fragile country like Nigeria requires a strong centre to hold the entire country together.

It is a joke to create a system where the regions or states collect revenue and distribute to the centre - the centre that has massive bills to pay in form of the maintaining a standing military, customs and big public service. if the states fail to pay what will happen? An invasion by the centre? The Constitution of 1960 created the Consolidated Revenue Fund where all the monies of the federation were pooled. Section 140 of the same constitution directed the Federation to pay each region a sum of 50% of proceeds of mining proceeds and rents collected in the region. Section 141 has a sharing formula which is much maligned today for the Federation to pay to each region. Back then, the Federation charged the regions for the costs of administration for collecting customs and excise duties which it set off from their share.

I think the real problem is the poor revenue generation of the states. The states have immense ambitions but no purse to pursue it. The taxes they collect are meagre not as juicy as the income taxes. Maybe, it is high time states be given full tax powers concurrent with the Federation.

Please note that the revenue from raw materials cannot beat the tax to be collected from 200m strong productive economy.

onuman:
Crab mentality!!

"Crab mentality, also known as crabs in a bucket mentality, refers to a way of thinking where people try to pull down or discourage others who are trying to achieve success or improve their situation, even if that success doesn't negatively affect them." Courtesy of AI.

Betwwen 1967-1996, military dictators from Northern Nigeria created a skewed and lopsided political structure for Nigeria through proliferation of mostly non viable states and local government areas in the old Northern region, supervised a constitution to legit the political structure, and devised a quasi unitary government system for Nigeria. They even established quota system for admissions to federal government institutions. All boiled down to: you can't grow unless I grow at the same time with you. Crab mentality.
Beginning 1999, the same constitution was raped when 12 far north states started to adopt unconstitutional sharia criminal justice system. Islamic extremists emerged thereafter and say they are fighting for a country to be governed with Sharia criminal justice system. Insecurity from that with its accompanying mass poverty has enveloped Nigeria since then.

You still want to hold on to the political status quo?
FYI, in all the developed countries of the world, industrialization started from one part of each of the countries and quickly extended to other parts of the country. But Crab mentality rules for Nigeria. No amount of proceeds from crude oil, gas, gold and other natural resources can stop mass poverty and insecurity in Nigeria governed as it is today.

lawani:
What do states want again after having power to collect PAYE without needing to pay any part to the FG?

lexy2014:
is nigeria operating fake federalism?

hjnjnjkjwek

Kay17:
The call for "true" federalism is shallow and without content. There are a thousand ways to organize a federation, and there is no blue print from the heavens that dictate how it should look like in a super-multicultural society like ours.

It is amazing that we do not, or rather refuse, to learn the lessons of Nigerian history and overglamourize the 1960s. The so-called regionalism was not as appealing as most people make it out. First, the regions were not working because all the minorities within those regions felt overshadowed. The North was an amalgamation of hundreds of ethno-cultural identities which was more than just Hausa-Fulani; just as the Western and Eastern regions were. The 36 states directly came out of these agitations. The so-called true federalism was unable to withstand the very first challenge to its legitimacy. The country was more divided then than now.

If the so-called federalists read the final report of the Constitution Drafting Committee, they would have known that there was a deliberate step-away from the Westminster system and the confederated federalism because a fragile country like Nigeria requires a strong centre to hold the entire country together.

It is a joke to create a system where the regions or states collect revenue and distribute to the centre - the centre that has massive bills to pay in form of the maintaining a standing military, customs and big public service. if the states fail to pay what will happen? An invasion by the centre? The Constitution of 1960 created the Consolidated Revenue Fund where all the monies of the federation were pooled. Section 140 of the same constitution directed the Federation to pay each region a sum of 50% of proceeds of mining proceeds and rents collected in the region. Section 141 has a sharing formula which is much maligned today for the Federation to pay to each region. Back then, the Federation charged the regions for the costs of administration for collecting customs and excise duties which it set off from their share.

I think the real problem is the poor revenue generation of the states. The states have immense ambitions but no purse to pursue it. The taxes they collect are meagre not as juicy as the income taxes. Maybe, it is high time states be given full tax powers concurrent with the Federation.

Please note that the revenue from raw materials cannot beat the tax to be collected from 200m strong productive economy.

DIVINEEVIDENCE:
Yes.
Our version of federalism is fake.

In true federalism , the states or federating units have power over their resources and only remit a fraction to the FG
They also have power over security, investments and economic development.
They are more like self-governing units which behold to the federal center as a common unifier.

They have so much power that they can easily secede if they choose to.


If we had a true federal system, Moghalu, Sowore and Kwankwaso will not be hustling for political offices.
We would have elected the best among us as premiers and the best among our class of premiers as Prime Minister.

Federating units would have invested in areas where they have economic advantage such as Agriculture.
They would have developed their tourist ans heritage sites and maintained their investments to boost their IGR.

Corruption would have reduced as the focus would have been on revenue generation, not tribalism.

FG wouldn't have needed to be borrowing money to fund budgets and money would not have been wasted on white elephant projects.

Also, states would have been in competition with each other in all facets to be counted as the best.

This was the era of groundnut pyramids and palm oil flow.
This was the era when the Naira had more value than the dollar.

Today, states are comatose because whether they generate funds or not, the FG will give them allocation and security votes.

A fake federalism, this is.

DIVINEEVIDENCE:
Yes.
Our version of federalism is fake.

In true federalism , the states or federating units have power over their resources and only remit a fraction to the FG
They also have power over security, investments and economic development.
They are more like self-governing units which behold to the federal center as a common unifier.

They have so much power that they can easily secede if they choose to.


If we had a true federal system, Moghalu, Sowore and Kwankwaso will not be hustling for political offices.
We would have elected the best among us as premiers and the best among our class of premiers as Prime Minister.

Federating units would have invested in areas where they have economic advantage such as Agriculture.
They would have developed their tourist ans heritage sites and maintained their investments to boost their IGR.

Corruption would have reduced as the focus would have been on revenue generation, not tribalism.

FG wouldn't have needed to be borrowing money to fund budgets and money would not have been wasted on white elephant projects.

Also, states would have been in competition with each other in all facets to be counted as the best.

This was the era of groundnut pyramids and palm oil flow.
This was the era when the Naira had more value than the dollar.

Today, states are comatose because whether they generate funds or not, the FG will give them allocation and security votes.

A fake federalism, this is.