₦airaland Forum

dignity33:
Are you saying that Gowon is an illiterate, was Gowon not alive when a regional government was created by Tafawa Balerwa/Zik .

No one is his right mind would say Gowon is an illiterate however you certainly write like one.

dignity33:
Are you saying that Gowon is an illiterate, was Gowon not alive when a regional government was created by Tafawa Balerwa/Zik .

kingzizzy:
It is not unitary decree, it is unification decree and it only had to do with the unification of the civil service.

Sammy07:
Ignorant

dignity33:
Are you saying that Gowon is an illiterate, was Gowon not alive when a regional government was created by Tafawa Balerwa/Zik .

dignity33:
I don't think you read what you posted there. Aguyi Ironsi created 4 provinces. Northern provinces, Eastern, Western and mid-west provinces. He never abolish resources control of those province. kindly read to understand what is the bone of contention here.

kingzizzy:
It is not unitary decree, it is unification decree and it only had to do with the unification of the civil service.

Ratello:
By Eric Teniola |   04 September 2017   |   3:57 am 



On assumption of power, General Aguiyi-Ironsi promulgated the Constitution (Suspension and Modification) Decree 1966. Decree No 1 dated January 17, 1966 but not published in the Official Gazette until March 4, 1966.

Of all the decrees enacted in Nigeria, none is more controversial than Decree No 34 of 1966. It was promulgated on May 24, 1966 by then Head of State, Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi (1924-1966) . It was called Unification Decree while some critics at that time labelled it the De-unification Decree.

It was the decree that started the death of regionalism – an issue which is still generating controversy till now. Although the next head of State General Yakubu Gowon repealed the Decree 34 on August 31, 1966 through Decree 9, a large portion of the Decree is still effective till today.

General Gowon further compounded it by promulgating Decree 14 of 1967 which broke Nigeria into 12 states and provided for military governors for each state. With Decrees 34, 8 and 14 regionalism was finally buried.

On assumption of power, General Aguiyi-Ironsi promulgated the Constitution (Suspension and Modification) Decree 1966. Decree No 1 dated January 17, 1966 but not published in the Official Gazette until March 4, 1966. He then issued Public Order Decree No 33 dated May 24 1966 which dissolved eighty-one political associations and twenty-six tribal and cultural associations.

At the early stage of his tenure, he appointed a three-man advisory team made up of Chief Francis Nwokedi, a Permanent Secretary, Dr. Pius Charles Nwabafor Okigbo (1924-2000) and Colonel Patrick Anwunah, who later became Chairman and Head of the Orientation Committee at that time.

He replaced the then Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Taslim Olawale Elias (1914-1991) with Chief Gabriel Chike Michael Onyiuke (SAN), former Director, Public Prosecution, Eastern Nigeria (1960-1965) from Nimo in the present Anambra state.

In a speech to the nation on January 28 1966, he denounced the evils of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa regime and outlined necessary reforms. ”All Nigerians”, he declared,” want an end to regionalism. Tribal loyalties and activities which promote tribal consciousness and sectional interests must give way to the urgent task of national reconstruction. The Federal Military Government will preserve Nigeria as one strong nation.” He then went on to promise “administrative reforms” and referred specifically to several matters in which regional as well as personal interests were known to have had decisive influence. These were official appointments, public investments, and the universities. He promised that in the public services, efficiency and merit will be the criteria for advancement”. That industrial development would be “coordinated to avoid wasteful duplication of industrial projects”, and that the universities would be “re-orientated to serve the genuine interest of our people.”

Immediately after the speech two Governors kicked against the proposal. They were, Major General David Akpode Ejoor (83) from Ovu in the present Delta State, then serving as the Military Governor of the Mid-Western region and Major General Hassan Usman Katsina(1933-1995), who was then serving as Governor of the Northern region.

Lt. Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu (1933-2011), Military Governor of Eastern Region welcomed the decree while Lt. Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi (1926-1966), Military Governor of Western Region never commented on the promulgation of the decree.

Lt-Col Ejoor was reported as saying that the ’National Government’ set up by the army was the prelude to ‘the reintroduction of a unitary form of government’ and insisted that it would create future problems. Shortly afterwards, the Supreme Military Council announced that a senior government official, Mr. Nwokedi, had been asked to consider and to report to the Supreme Military Council on the establishment of ‘an administrative machinery for a united Nigeria’ and the ‘unification of the Public Services and Judicial Services.’

In his own speech on February 19 at the Kaduna Airport, the Governor of Northern region, Lt-Col. Hassan Katsina said he was not aware as a member of the then Supreme Military Council of the modalities for the proposed National Government. ”I am afraid the egg is about to be broken”.

On February 21 1966, General Aguiyi-Ironsi again addressed the nation on the issue. He said: “On the question of the political future of the country, the experiences and mistakes of the previous governments in the Federation have clearly indicated that far-reaching constitutional reforms are badly needed for peaceful and orderly progress towards the realization of our objectives. I have already touched on some of the major issues involved in recent broadcast to the nation. It has become apparent to all Nigerians that rigid adherence to ‘regionalism’, was the bane of the last regime and one of the main factors which contributed to its downfall. No doubt, the country would welcome a clean break with the deficiencies of the system of government to which the country has been subjected in the recent past. A solution suitable to our national needs must be found. The existing boundaries of governmental control will need to be re-adjusted to make for less cumbersome administration.’

As a follow-up on May 25, General Aguiyi-Ironsi promulgated the Constitution (Suspension and Modification)(No. 5) Decree 1966. Decree No. 34 (the ‘Unification Decree’).

After the promulgation, the country was thrown into turmoil which led to demonstration particularly in many parts of Northern Nigeria at that time. On his return to Kaduna on May 27, Col. Hassan Katsina was besieged with demands for an explanation. It was feared that in a unified service, Northerners would be at a disadvantage. It was no consolation that the Decree provided for the delegation of appointments and promotions, except the most senior, to Provincial Civil Service Commissions.

With its authority challenged and shown to be weak, at least in large parts of the North, the National Military Government had little option but to proffer its assurances and to explain its actions. The Supreme Military Council met on 7 and 8 June 1966 and issued the following statement:

“The public must not be led to confuse the Military Government with government by a civilian regime under a constitution approved by the people. Nobody will expect the present Military Government to cease to function until new constitution has been approved or to be compelled to operate the old system of government with its obvious weakness. It cannot be too seriously emphasized that the Military Government while in office can only run the government as a military government under a unified command. It cannot afford to run five separate governments and separate services as if it were a civilian regime. Final decisions on the territorial structure of the country and the public services will be matters for the Constituent Assembly and the referendum.”

The Supreme Military Council also decided that General Aguiyi-Ironsi should invite traditional rulers from all parts of the country to a meeting to be held in Lagos as soon as possible and that the Military Governors would immediately summon similar meetings in their own Regions. This was presumably an attempt to improve the channels of communications. There had in fact already been a meeting of Northern Emirs and Chiefs in Kaduna on 4 of June and the Military Governor had been given a list of grievances and recommendations to take to Lagos. The Emirs and Chiefs met again on June 16 to receive General Aguiyi-Ironsi’s reply.
Sadly on 29 July 1966, General Aguiyi-Ironsi and the Military Governor of Western Region, Lt. Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi were murdered in Ibadan during a meeting with the traditional rulers from all parts of the country.

Teniola, a former director in the presidency, lives in Lagos.

https://www.google.com.ng/amp/s/guardian.ng/opinion/history-and-the-future-of-decree-34-of-1966/amp

kingzizzy:
The unification decree did not tamper with resource control, it did not change the revenue allocation formular, it did not remove fiscal federalism, it recognised the 4 Region's

So how did this decree introduce unitary rule?

The only thing this decree did was unify the public service workers

immediately after the speech two Governors kicked against the proposal. They were, Major General David Akpode Ejoor (83) from Ovu in the present Delta State, then serving as the Military Governor of the Mid-Western region and Major General Hassan Usman Katsina(1933-1995), who was then serving as Governor of the Northern region.

Lt. Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu (1933-2011), Military Governor of Eastern Region welcomed the decree while Lt. Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi (1926-1966), Military Governor of Western Region never commented on the promulgation of the decree.

Lt-Col Ejoor was reported as saying that the ’National Government’ set up by the army was the prelude to ‘the reintroduction of a unitary form of government’ and insisted that it would create future problems. Shortly afterwards, the Supreme Military Council announced that a senior government official, Mr. Nwokedi, had been asked to consider and to report to the Supreme Military Council on the establishment of ‘an administrative machinery for a united Nigeria’ and the ‘unification of the Public Services and Judicial Services.’

In his own speech on February 19 at the Kaduna Airport, the Governor of Northern region, Lt-Col. Hassan Katsina said he was not aware as a member of the then Supreme Military Council of the modalities for the proposed National Government. ”I am afraid the egg is about to be broken”.

On February 21 1966, General Aguiyi-Ironsi again addressed the nation on the issue. He said: “On the question of the political future of the country, the experiences and mistakes of the previous governments in the Federation have clearly indicated that far-reaching constitutional reforms are badly needed for peaceful and orderly progress towards the realization of our objectives. I have already touched on some of the major issues involved in recent broadcast to the nation. It has become apparent to all Nigerians that rigid adherence to ‘regionalism’, was the bane of the last regime and one of the main factors which contributed to its downfall. No doubt, the country would welcome a clean break with the deficiencies of the system of government to which the country has been subjected in the recent past

joeyfire:
Gbam! The only thing Ironsi really did was unify the civil service. He retained the regional system made up of provinces. Very commendable for a military government as history has since shown us over the years starting with Gowon

immediately after the speech two Governors kicked against the proposal. They were, Major General David Akpode Ejoor (83) from Ovu in the present Delta State, then serving as the Military Governor of the Mid-Western region and Major General Hassan Usman Katsina(1933-1995), who was then serving as Governor of the Northern region.

Lt. Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu (1933-2011), Military Governor of Eastern Region welcomed the decree while Lt. Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi (1926-1966), Military Governor of Western Region never commented on the promulgation of the decree.

Lt-Col Ejoor was reported as saying that the ’National Government’ set up by the army was the prelude to ‘the reintroduction of a unitary form of government’ and insisted that it would create future problems. Shortly afterwards, the Supreme Military Council announced that a senior government official, Mr. Nwokedi, had been asked to consider and to report to the Supreme Military Council on the establishment of ‘an administrative machinery for a united Nigeria’ and the ‘unification of the Public Services and Judicial Services.’

In his own speech on February 19 at the Kaduna Airport, the Governor of Northern region, Lt-Col. Hassan Katsina said he was not aware as a member of the then Supreme Military Council of the modalities for the proposed National Government. ”I am afraid the egg is about to be broken”.

On February 21 1966, General Aguiyi-Ironsi again addressed the nation on the issue. He said: “On the question of the political future of the country, the experiences and mistakes of the previous governments in the Federation have clearly indicated that far-reaching constitutional reforms are badly needed for peaceful and orderly progress towards the realization of our objectives. I have already touched on some of the major issues involved in recent broadcast to the nation. It has become apparent to all Nigerians that rigid adherence to ‘regionalism’, was the bane of the last regime and one of the main factors which contributed to its downfall. No doubt, the country would welcome a clean break with the deficiencies of the system of government to which the country has been subjected in the recent past

Sammy07:
what is this below?

joeyfire:
Gbam! The only thing Ironsi really did was unify the civil service. He retained the regional system made up of provinces. Very commendable for a military government as history has since shown us over the years starting with Gowon

dignity33:
The Unification Decree: No. 34 of 1966


Decree No. 34

[24th May 1966]



THE FEDERAL MILITARY GOVERNMENT hereby decrees as follows:

Subject to the provisions of this Decree, Nigeria shall on 24th May 1966 (in this decree referred to as ‘the appointed day’) cease to be a Federation and shall accordingly as from that day be a Republic, by the name of the Republic of Nigeria, consisting of the whole of the territory which immediately before that day was comprised in the Federation.
2.

As from the appointed day—

the Federal Military Government and the Federal Executive Council shall be known respectively as the National Military Government and The Executive Council;
the Federal territory shall be known as the Capital territory;
the provinces, including Kaduna capital territory, in schedule 1 of this Decree which immediately before the appointed day were respectively comprised in Northern Nigeria, Eastern Nigeria, Western Nigeria and Mid-Western Nigeria shall be known respectively as the Northern group of Provinces, the Eastern group of Provinces, the Western group of Provinces and the Mid-Western group of Provinces;
for the purpose of administration each group of provinces shall subject to the authority of the Head of the National Military Government, be under the general direction and control of a Military Governor appointed by the Head of the National Military Government;
Act No. 20 of 1963 (that is to say the Constitution of the Federation) may be cited as the Constitution of the Republic.
Without prejudice to section 8 of this Decree, the person who immediately before the appointed day holds the office of Military Governor of a Region shall be deemed to have been appointed by the Head of the National Military Government as Military Governor of the corresponding group of provinces with effect from that day.
The National Military Government may either conditionally or unconditionally delegate to a Military Governor of a group of provinces power to make laws by edict for peace, order and good government with respect to any matter specified in the delegation in relation to that group of provinces.
Subject to this and any other Decree, a Military Governor of a group of provinces may exercise by way of edict or, as the case may be, by regulation, order, or instrument the powers and functions vested in the Executive Council of the Government of a former Region, or of the Governor, Premier, or Minister (except in relation to criminal prosecutions) of a government of a former Region under any existing law with respect to that group of provinces; and accordingly sections 3 (2), (3), (5), (6), and (7) and section 4 (6) of the Constitution (Suspension and Modification) Decree 1966 (in this Decree referred to as the ‘principal Decree’) shall cease to have effect.
Subsection (4) shall be without prejudice to section 8 of this Decree, and the repeal by that subsection of any provision of the principal Decree shall not affect the operation of that provision in relation to any time before the appointed day.
Any Edict made by the Military Governor of a Region which is in force immediately before the appointed day shall, as from that day, have effect as a Decree applying only to the group of provinces which corresponds to that region; and references to a Decree shall be construed accordingly.
In this subsection ‘Edict’ includes a decree made as mentioned in section 4 (6) of the principal Decree.

Notwithstanding section 1 of this Decree, on and after the appointed day—
the provisions of the constitution of each former Region which are not for the time being suspended shall, in relation to the corresponding group of provinces, have effect as modified by the combined operation of the principal Decree, as amended, and this Decree; and
the constitution of each former Region may be cited as the Constitution of the Northern, Eastern, Western or Mid-Western group of Provinces, as the case may be, and references to the constitution of a group of provinces shall be construed accordingly.
3. 1. As from the appointed day all offices in the service of the Republic in a civil capacity shall be offices in a single service to be known as the National Public Service; and accordingly all persons who immediately before that day are members of the public service of the Federation or of the public service of a Region shall on that day become members of the National Public Service:

Provided that this subsection shall not apply to the office of the Attorney-General of the Republic or of a group of Provinces.

2. As from the appointed day—

a. the Public Service Commission established under section 146 of the Constitution of the Republic shall be known as the National Public Service Commission, and references in that section and elsewhere to the Public Service Commission of the Federation shall be amended accordingly;

b. all Regional Public Service Commissions established under the appropriate provisions of the Constitutions of the Regions shall be known as the Provincial Public Service Commissions, and be known as the Provincial Public Service Commissions created under the Constitutions of the Regions shall be construed accordingly.

3. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Constitution of the Republic or of a group of Provinces, the members of the Public Service Commission of the Federation and of the Regions who, immediately before the appointed day hold office, shall continue in office until the appointments expire or are sooner revoked, and fresh appointments are made.

4.1 Subject to the provisions of this section, power to appoint persons to hold or act in offices in the National Public Service (including power to make appointments on promotion and to confirm appointments) and to dismiss and exercise disciplinary control over persons holding or acting in such offices shall, as from the appointed day, vest in the National Public Service Commission.

2. The National Public Service Commission may, with the approval of the Head of the National Military Government, either conditionally or unconditionally delegate any of its powers under subsection (1) above to any person or authority in Nigeria.

3. Subject to subsections (4) and (6) below, all the powers of the National Public Service Commission under subsection (1) above in respect of any office in the National Public Service carrying an initial salary not exceeding £2,292, shall be treated as having been delegated to the appropriate Provincial Public Service Commission.

4. Any delegation effected under subsection (2) above (including any delegation which in accordance with subsection (3) above or subsection (6) below is to be treated as having been effected under subsection (2) above) may be varied or revoked by the National Public Service Commission with the approval of the Head of the National Military Government.

5. Subsection (1) above shall not apply in relation to any of the following offices—

a. the office of any judge of the Supreme Court, the High Court of Lagos, the High Court of a group of provinces or the Sharia Court of Appeal;

b. the office of economic adviser to the republic;

c. except for the purpose of making appointments thereto, the office of the Director of Audit of the Republic and the office of the Director of Audit of a group of provinces;

d. the office of Magistrate and Justice of Peace;

e. any office in the Nigeria Police Force;

f. any office to which section 148 of the Constitution of the Republic applies.

6. Without prejudice to subsection (4) above or to section 8 of this Decree, any delegation effected under section 147 of the Constitution of the Federation, or under the corresponding section of the constitution of a Region, which is in force immediately before the appointed day shall, as from that day be deemed to have been appointed day shall, as from that day, be deemed to have been duly effected by the National Public Service Commission under subsection (2) above.

7. The provisions of this section shall be subject to the provisions of section 5 of this decree.

5.1. Power to appoint persons to hold or act in the office of permanent secretary to any department of government of the Republic or any other office of equivalent rank in the National Public Service, and to remove persons so appointed from any such office shall, as from the appointed day, vest in the Supreme Military Council.

2. Before appointing any person by virtue of this section, the Supreme Military Council shall consult the National Public Service Commission.

3. Subsection (1) above shall not apply in relation to any of the offices mentioned in section 4 (5) of this Decree.

6. As from the appointed day the members of the Police Service Commission shall be appointed by the Head of the National Military Government; and accordingly in the entry in Schedule 2 of the principal Decree relating to section 109 of the Constitution of the Republic, for the words ‘Federal Executive Council’ in both places where they occur, there shall, as from the appointed day, be substituted the words ‘Head of the National Military Government’.

7. 1. As from the appointed day, the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic mentioned in Schedule 2 of this Decree shall be suspended.

2. As from the appointed day—

a. the provisions of the constitution of each group of provinces which are men-

tioned in Schedule 3 of this Decree shall be suspended; and

b. Schedule 4 of the principal Decree shall have effect subject to the amendments specified in Schedule 4 of this Decree.

8. 1. As from the appointed day the principal Decree, as amended, shall have effect with

such modifications (whether by way of addition, alteration or omission) as may be

necessary to bring it, and through it—

a. the unsuspended provisions of the Constitution of the Republic and of the constitution of each group of provinces; and

b. all existing law within the meaning of subsection (1) of section 12 of the principal Decree, so far as in force immediately before the appointed day; and

c. all other law which would be existing law within the meaning of the said subsection (1) if the references in that subsection to 16th January 1966 were references to the appointed day; into conformity with this Decree.

2. Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) above, section 13 of the

principal Decree (which makes provision for the saving of existing offices, appointments, etc.) shall, with such modifications as may be necessary in consequence of this Decree, have effect in relation to the appointed day in like manner as it has effect in relation to 16th January 1966.

3. Nothing in this Decree shall affect the validity of anything done before the appointed day.

9. In this Decree, and in any other law—

‘enactment’ includes any provision of a Decree;

‘group of provinces’ means the Northern Group of Provinces, the Eastern Group of Provinces, the Western Group of Provinces or the Mid-Western Group of Provinces;

‘the Military Governor’, in relation to a group of provinces, means the Military Governor of that Group of Provinces;

‘the Northern Group of Provinces’, the Eastern Group of Provinces’, the Western Group of Provinces and the ‘Mid-Western Group of Provinces’ have the respective meanings assigned in section 2 (1) © of this Decree.

10. Every Decree made on or after the appointed day shall apply throughout Nigeria except in so far as the contrary intention appears therein.


Source: The Constitution (Suspension and Modification) (No. 5) Decree 1966, Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette no. 51, vol. 53, 24 May 1966, A153.


Courtesy Nowa Omoigui

https://dawodu.com/decree34.htm

dignity33:
Aside appointment of military governors of provincial group by National military government and resources control. I see no different from this our present constitution.

Sammy07:
1st greatest mistake 1914
2nd one - When one of the southern leader works with the North
3rd - 1st coup
4th - Unification decree.

Sammy07:
1st greatest mistake 1914
2nd one - When one of the southern leader works with the North
3rd - 1st coup
4th - Unification decree.

Dedetwo:
Sometimes I wonder if any good thing will ever come out of the shithole called Nigeria. Unification Decree # 34 simply created uniform atmosphere in Nigeria civil servant cadre where level 7 is the same thing all over the federal. Local Authorities had knack to appoint anybody into any position without calibration. The decree # 34 stopped such practice. Th decree had nothing to with government. It is unfortunate Nigeria is a basket of fools otherwise why would one think of unitary government when Aguiyi Ironis had military governors in each regions which in turn gave Ojukwu the impetus to tell Gowon to "Go-to-hell" because Ojukwu did not recognize Gowon as head of the state. Yari.ba peeps shamefully failed to cough and cowardly succumbed to unfounded fear of standing up for something in 1966 hence have decided to chase a silly narrative of fiction instead of fact.

Pimpmaride:
Shut up.... Ironsi shud have left the regional govt the way it was...

He shud nt av issued a unitary decree...

He made a mistake accept it.... Everyone does mistake.


Ironsi made a big error by declaring unitary govt of which the northern govt capitalize on..


He snudnt av done it

Igbochief001:
You guys claimed he did it out of greed to steal other people's resources ...but he left resources control and still left the regions ...so what's your point

dignity33:
Aside appointment of military governors of provincial group by National military government and resources control. I see no different from this our present constitution.

Dedetwo:
Sometimes I wonder if any good thing will ever come out of the shithole called Nigeria. Unification Decree # 34 simply created uniform atmosphere in Nigeria civil servant cadre where level 7 is the same thing all over the federal. Local Authorities had knack to appoint anybody into any position without calibration. The decree # 34 stopped such practice. Th decree had nothing to with government. It is unfortunate Nigeria is a basket of fools otherwise why would one think of unitary government when Aguiyi Ironis had military governors in each regions which in turn gave Ojukwu the impetus to tell Gowon to "Go-to-hell" because Ojukwu did not recognize Gowon as head of the state. Yari.ba peeps shamefully failed to cough and cowardly succumbed to unfounded fear of standing up for something in 1966 hence have decided to chase a silly narrative of fiction instead of fact.

Pimpmaride:
Every body knows ironsi decreed unitary govt..

Gowon capitalized on it...

Christistruth00:
It was Ironsi's Unitary Govt system that enabled Gowon and the North held onto and used it's Power to Cancel resource Control because power had been concentrated in the Centre .

Gowon had only wanted to cancel resource Control during the Civil War but didn't reinstated resource Control after the War was won because he needed the Funds to reconstruct all the War damage Starting with the destroyed Niger Bridge and Onitsha which was in complete ruins .

The real reason Ojukwu rejected State Creation was because he fully lost control of the Oil rich Eastern Minority Areas and their Sea Coast.

Guestlander:
Can't you read? The decree was not written in Chinese.