Senators divided over push for regional government

The push to return Nigeria to regional system of government has caused a rift among Senators from the southern and northern regions.

They expressed their divergent views at the sidelines of the ongoing two-day retreat on on the amendments to the 1999 constitution organised by the Senate Committee on Constitution Review in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) in Kano.

While senators from the northern part of the country who spoke on the issue vehemently opposed it, those from southern Nigeria, described it as a welcome development that would improve the economy, tackle insecurity and fast-track infrastructural development.

Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, expressed firm opposition to regionalism, reflecting the views of his constituents. He argued that during the First Republic, the northern region, particularly his constituency, did not benefit from the regional government based in Kaduna. Ningi emphasised that the focus should be on reforming the federal structure and implementing true fiscal federalism rather than reverting to regionalism.

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“As far as regional government is concerned, my constituency, my people aren’t for it. What we need is the reform of the current Federal Government structure and fiscal federalism because there is nothing like true federalism,” he said.

“As far as regional government is concerned, my constituency, my people aren’t for it. What we need is the reform of the current Federal Government structure and fiscal federalism because there is nothing like true federalism”, he said.

Sani Musa, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, clarified that the establishment of zonal development commissions should not be mistaken for a push towards regionalism.

He explained that these commissions are intended for the social and economic development of their respective areas, not a step toward regional government.

Meanwhile, Ali Ndume, former Senate Leader, argued that the concept of true federalism is outdated, as many African countries have moved away from it. He called for the strengthening of institutions to promote good governance, reduce corruption, and address insecurity.

“The clamour for true federalism would disappear if we had strong institutions ensuring justice, equity, and fairness across all regions,” Ndume said.

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In contrast, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, representing Oyo North, supported the idea of regional government, highlighting the success of regions in harnessing their resources during the First Republic. He argued that decentralising power would make corruption less attractive and foster local accountability.

“When the center is less attractive, you reduce the opportunities for corruption. Regions would be more focused on managing their resources effectively,” Buhari noted.

However, Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate Leader reassured that regionalism was not part of the ongoing constitutional review. He emphasised that any significant change, such as discarding the 1999 Constitution, would require not only legislative action but also a political consensus involving the Nigerian people.

“Amending even a single provision in the constitution is a lengthy process. Discarding the entire constitution or reverting to regional government would require a much broader political agreement,” Bamidele said.