“The 1999 Constitution (as amended) from its very first sentence lied against itself by saying ‘we the people of Nigeria’, whereas we the people were never consulted”, the Secretary General of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Dr. Kunle Olajide, said.
The South-West governors had proposed the conversion of the present six geopolitical zones into federating units, as part of the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly.
The South West Governors’ Forum, in a document presented to members of the National Assembly from the zone, made other proposals to weaken the central government, while allocating more powers to states.
The proposals were reportedly presented to the South-West Caucus of the National Assembly penultimate Tuesday.
The governors had met with the lawmakers in Abuja behind closed doors.
The governors at the meeting were Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo State), who is also the Chairman of the South West Governors’ Forum; Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Gboyega Oyetola (Osun), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos) and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun).
After the meeting, Akeredolu had said the South-West would be approaching the Constitution amendment with a common front.
He added that the meeting had set a committee made of up senators, led by the Caucus Chairman, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the House of Representatives Caucus, led by Hon. Femi Fakeye, and attorneys-generals of the South-West states.
“The committee is to harmonise our position so that we can present it when necessary before the two Houses and, at the end of the day, have a Constitution amendment and have our serious inputs”
Olajide told newsmen that it is immoral to call the people of Nigeria, either through elected governors or lawmakers, to amend the Constitution they were never part of the making.
“Devolution of powers rarely means what the South-West governors are saying.
“Bringing power to the state, giving local government autonomy, that is anti-federalism.
“In a federal system of government, the local government should be the responsibility of the state; in fact it is not usually listed in the national Constitution.
“Each federating unit is supposed to have its own Constitution where the names of local governments are listed.
“Funding of local governments has to be through the percentage of the resources of the state government and, if any governor does not comply, it will be an impeachable offense under the state Constitution.
“National Assembly has no business with the funding of local government, so there is lack of understanding of this system because, if you allow the Federal Government to fund local governments directly, whatever political party is in power at the center can undermine state governments in opposition through the funding.
“This is why in a proper federal system, local government business is entirely state business”.
According to the YCE Secretary, the South-West governors are proposing direct funding and local government autonomy, saying local government cannot have autonomy under Federal Government but autonomy under states.
“Then the resources must not come from the Federal Government; it must be part of the resources of the states. The state should hold a minimum of 50 to 60 per cent and pay royalty to the center for a few services to be held by the centre”, he added.
“Let me ask you, what has Abuja got to do with primary school education? They have no business with it. What is the business of the Federal Government with federal roads in states in a federation? It should be inter states’ roads and the federal capital territory roads.
“What business has the Federal Government got with agricultural when they have no land? Land belongs to the federating units, so you can begin to see the anomaly and paradox in this Constitution.
“That is why this is the fifth amendment, and the amendments will go on indefinitely.
Peoples’ Constitution
“Let us have a people’s Constitution.
“The Constitution of USA was adopted in 1774. I think it has less than two dozens’ amendments; that is well over 200 years down.
“So, once the people sit down to write their Constitution, then each federating unit, in turn, will write its own Constitution.
“There will be no need for this ritual. This is a way to enrich our National Assembly members because, traditionally, it is the Deputy Senate President that heads the amendment committee and they vote billions there every year.”