Thursday, March 02, 2017 6.43AM / Christian Udechukwu 

I have observed that people do not understand the restructuring option for Nigeria as it is being discussed. Let me attempt a simple explanation.

Restructuring of Nigeria does not mean that a Yoruba man in Bauchi has to return to Ijebu Ode nor that the Hausa man in Onitsha has to return to Kano, no one has to move to anywhere. Nigeria will be like the European Union where citizens are able to exercise the freedom to live, work and play where they choose without prejudice. 

The proposed restructure of Nigeria is simply be designed to enable all of the six regions of Nigeria to decide on and have full control of matters of health, education, industrial development policy, power, agriculture, transport infrastructure, local policing, revenue mobilisation, mining, investment guarantees, local taxes and then leave the federal government in Abuja to decide only matters of national defence, foreign  affairs, immigration, international cooperation, national security and others.  No more free money from Abuja to the three tiers of government for unaccountable expenditure.  

Any region that wants to employ only their best and brightest to govern them can do so; and those who want rascals and illiterates in government can have them. Regions will be free and have power to name, shame and punish the criminals amongst them without recourse to ethnicity, religion and party politics at the centre in Abuja.  People can insist on local laws and order enforcement to protect their lives and property

For example, any region that does not want to invest in world class education for its people can choose to do what they like.  Any region that wants free education can introduce the policy at all levels only  if it has the money to pay for its own people  Any region that wants 2000 full time legislators can have it and pay for it from their own internally generated revenue.  The same principle applies in everything else. 

Regions that want 100 states and 1000 local governments can create them if it has money to pay for such big government.  They can no longer rely on free money from oil and gas. Each region will have to be productive, innovative and creative to be progressively develop for a secure future for its people. This is very simple. If this form of restructuring were to happen;  then people will become more prudent and  thoughtful in their daily choices. 

A situation where one part of Nigeria wants be like Singapore, Shanghai or Dubai and other wants to be like Yemen and Pakistan; but both are forced to continue co-existing under the burden of a poorly conceived federal structure under a mediocre leadership which is based on quota system, chop chop politics  and turn by turn corruption ridden government are not sustainable.  Lagos aspires to be a global city where the world's people can come to do business freely and without prejudice; other parts are angry that national resources are being invested with concentration in Abuja to exclusion of other strategic regional centres, and more regional component parts want the right to pursue the best health and education policy they want but they can't do so because such decisions  are made in Abuja. These situations create tensions and low intensity conflcts such as Boko Haram, MASSOB, IPOB, OPC, AVENGERS, and more. So this has to change. Indeed, it will change inevitably, however long it takes unless we have an enlightened leadership that treats the different regions with equity, justice and fairness without limiting the aspirations of any group of people in the federation. 

For now,  there are clear evidences that the aspirations of certain regions or groups of people in Nigeria are not getting the right and fair consideration.  Restructuring is one of the only pathways to future sustainable peace and progress for Nigeria. A nation that ignores it's best and brightest people cannot make sustainable progress. A nation which does treat all of its citizens with equity, fairness and justice will not know sustainable peace. It is difficult for citizens to feel obliged to the state if they do not feel free to pursue their happiness without limitation or prejudice in safety and security.

hre

Restructuring Nigeria into six Regions aint bad, but it is never going to happen.

Restrcturing into 6 Regions would mean:

The dissolution of all 36 states and their state assemblies

The divolution of powers from Abuja to the Regions

The dissolution of the Senate


The abrogation of 'executive president' and commander in chief. In its place, ceremonial president who will also be commander in chief and Primeminister who will be head of Government.

The complete dismantling of the unitary system


They wont allow this. As far as the North is concerned, there is no difference between a restructured SW/SE/SS and Oduduwa Republic/Republic of Biafra/Niger Delta Republic and they are right.

Retructuring is not going to happen in Nigeria unless those who want it are prepared to go to war with the North.

14 autonomous regions/states and FCT. All resources under new regions/ states with 30% federal tax. Federal control of FCT, foreign affairs, defense, federal security apparatuses, maritime security while it can also control federal funding to states/ regions.

Regions / states must emerge to protect minorities especially in the North and Niger Delta based on both ethnicity and religion.

gartamanta:
Restructuring Nigeria into six Regions aint bad, but it is never going to happen.

Restrcturing into 6 Regions would mean:

The dissolution of all 36 states and their state assemblies

The divolution of powers from Abuja to the Regions

The dissolution of the Senate


The abrogation of 'executive president' and commander in chief. In its place, ceremonial president who will also be commander in chief and Primeminister who will be head of Government.

The complete dismantling of the unitary system


They wont allow this. As far as the North is concerned, there is no difference between a restructured SW/SE/SS and Oduduwa Republic/Republic of Biafra/Niger Delta Republic and they are right.

Retructuring is not going to happen in Nigeria unless those who want it are prepared to go to war with the North.

It will happen soon. The struggle for a true Federal system of government and Restructuring has nothing to do with Secession. Almost every Nigerian is disenchanted with situation of things except for the few political elites who are currently comfortable with the current flaw system.

see...https://www.nairaland.com/3659255/what-restructured-nigeria-look-like

The north must realise that it is in their interest to restructure also. The region is blessed with agrarian land and abundant Mineral elements but all these are not being optimally utilized to create jobs for every youth because of the lazy money politicians receive and depend on from Abuja

mandarin:
14 autonomous regions/states and FCT. All resources under new regions/ states with 30% federal tax. Federal control of FCT, foreign affairs, defense, federal security apparatuses, maritime security while it can also control federal funding to states/ regions.

Regions / states must emerge to protect minorities especially in the North and Niger Delta based on both ethnicity and religion.

The decision to merge or not will be determine by the people based on the adopted constitution of the state or region.

gartamanta:
Restructuring Nigeria into six Regions aint bad, but it is never going to happen.

Restrcturing into 6 Regions would mean:

The dissolution of all 36 states and their state assemblies

The divolution of powers from Abuja to the Regions

The dissolution of the Senate


The abrogation of 'executive president' and commander in chief. In its place, ceremonial president who will also be commander in chief and Primeminister who will be head of Government.

The complete dismantling of the unitary system


They wont allow this. As far as the North is concerned, there is no difference between a restructured SW/SE/SS and Oduduwa Republic/Republic of Biafra/Niger Delta Republic and they are right.

Retructuring is not going to happen in Nigeria unless those who want it are prepared to go to war with the North.

...pls dont shy away of the truth, if the 3 tiers of the gvernment can't favour Nigerian, the sole regional administration cannot safe us, the call for restructuring is polical game play by the fail politician! it's like rush out of lion jungle to hunter forest by animals!
why accused North!

oyinkinola:

...pls dont shy away of the truth, if the 3 tiers of the gvernment can't favour Nigerian, the sole regional administration cannot safe us, the call for restructuring is polical game play by the fail politician! it's like rush out of lion jungle to hunter forest by animals!
why accused North!

Your assertion is not wholly true. The call for restructuring predate the current political trend. I said 14 states/ region because the possibility of merger is well thought through. For instance , I foresee southern kaduna groups in the same region or state with groups from Plateau, Gbagyi and even southern Bauchi and Gombe.

mandarin:


Your assertion is not wholly true. The call for restructuring predate the current political trend. I said 14 states/ region because the possibility of merger is well thought through. For instance , I foresee southern kaduna groups in the same region or state with groups from Plateau, Gbagyi and even southern Bauchi and Gombe.

...we are from regionalism to federalism, the critics to return to regionalism is politically motivated by the politicians, it's not in the interest of the poor mases, what our local goernment is doing now? who critisize them? Did our state government performed? why didn't blame them? we all know the pacentage of allocation each shared! why blame the center?

oyinkinola:

...pls dont shy away of the truth, if the 3 tiers of the gvernment can't favour Nigerian, the sole regional administration cannot safe us, the call for restructuring is polical game play by the fail politician! it's like rush out of lion jungle to hunter forest by animals!
why accused North!

This renewed call for restructuring has nothing to do with any politician. This is borne out of the recognition that the only meaningful way we can make actual progress is to devolve power to the States or Regions and putting an end to this unitary system of government that has done nothing but hamper the development of all us as individuals and states.

Check out this lecture delivered by Professor Godini G. Darah, titled; Who is Afraid of Restructuring?
This a detailed analysis of the struggle for True Federalism right from independence...

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/02/whos-afraid-restructuring-nigeria/

Also check out the Restructure Nigeria website, see my signature

oyinkinola:

...we are from regionalism to federalism, the critics to return to regionalism is politically motivated by the politicians, it's not in the interest of the poor mases, what our local goernment is doing now? who critisize them? Did our state government performed? why didn't blame them? we all know the pacentage of allocation each shared! why blame the center?

The very word "Allocation" is what is killing growth, creativity and our general developments.
Nigeria cannot grow economically when funds are allocated like its a cake that must be shared and since the oil keeps flowing and money keeps coming nobody want to look inward as to how to generate income through dependable economic policy.
That's why we have hundreds of local governments that are not adding values yet getting allocations and just sharing!
If say Ekiti for example is an autonomous province in western region and has to pay 10,000 teachers' salaries, that stare governor will be cracking his brain if there's no allocation instead of engaging in showmanship!
If say western region is an autonomous region and chose to evolve a secondary level of governance say provinces with governor as the local levels,it can contrast with Eastern region or Alaigbo which can have autonomous communities with mayors and , Eastern Delta region with oil money to make every household a local government.
The only thing that can help the current structure to be fairer is if fiscal federalism and resource control at 60:40 or 50:50 while states control local governments.
However, as a way of leveraging on regional resources, regional arrangement is better.

mandarin:


The very word "Allocation" is what is killing growth, creativity and our general developments.
Nigeria cannot grow economically when funds are allocated like its a cake that must be shared and since the oil keeps flowing and money keeps coming nobody want to look inward as to how to generate income through dependable economic policy.
That's why we have hundreds of local governments that are not adding values yet getting allocations and just sharing!
If say Ekiti for example is an autonomous province in western region and has to pay 10,000 teachers' salaries, that stare governor will be cracking his brain if there's no allocation instead of engaging in showmanship!
If say western region is an autonomous region and chose to evolve a secondary level of governance say provinces with governor as the local levels,it can contrast with Eastern region or Alaigbo which can have autonomous communities with mayors and , Eastern Delta region with oil money to make every household a local government.
The only thing that can help the current structure to be fairer is if fiscal federalism and resource control at 60:40 or 50:50 while states control local governments.
However, as a way of leveraging on regional resources, regional arrangement is better.

...what I know is that the resources of any country come somewhere from that country and nothing is wrong to our system today, when look into our maturity towards the politics, but every poitician want to be president in his life time but they didn't agree that power belong to the people, as yoruba man if you don't known in hausa and igbo land how can you become president of Nigeria? that's there nightmare! that's why they were calling to dismantle federal power so that post will be near to them in their region to loot their region dry as the govrnors do right now!

restructure:


This renewed call for restructuring has nothing to do with any politician. This is borne out of the recognition that the only meaningful way we can make actual progress is to devolve power to the States or Regions and putting an end to this unitary system of government that has done nothing but hamper the development of all us as individuals and states.

Check out this lecture delivered by Professor Godini G. Darah, titled; Who is Afraid of Restructuring?
This a detailed analysis of the struggle for True Federalism right from independence...

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/02/whos-afraid-restructuring-nigeria/

Also check out the Restructure Nigeria website, see my signature

..it has indeed, let's the politicians fight for the nation and see, start from the capital purnishment for looters, since there is no system that accept looting!

So Nigeria will be like the UK and UAE.that can serve us all right.

omoiyamayor:
So Nigeria will be like the UK and UAE.that can serve us all right.

Exactly, each Federating unit would develop according to its own pace while focusing on areas of core competencies and maximizing available resources.

It can be secession too if restructure into regions fails

gartamanta:
Restructuring Nigeria into six Regions aint bad, but it is never going to happen.

Restrcturing into 6 Regions would mean:

The dissolution of all 36 states and their state assemblies

The divolution of powers from Abuja to the Regions

The dissolution of the Senate


The abrogation of 'executive president' and commander in chief. In its place, ceremonial president who will also be commander in chief and Primeminister who will be head of Government.

The complete dismantling of the unitary system


They wont allow this. As far as the North is concerned, there is no difference between a restructured SW/SE/SS and Oduduwa Republic/Republic of Biafra/Niger Delta Republic and they are right.

Retructuring is not going to happen in Nigeria unless those who want it are prepared to go to war with the North.

How are they right?