Nigeria is looking to change its current administrative structure. A few weeks back, Nigerians became privy to the draft of a bill proposing the re-adoption of a regional system of government. However, at the time the country’s House of Representatives refuted knowledge of any such document.
- Nigeria is considering a change to its administrative structure by reintroducing a regional system of government.
- The bill proposing the new governance model for Nigeria will be on the President's desk by Friday.
- The bill outlines the division of the country into regions with a two-tier government, federal and regional, aimed at granting the regional governments more autonomy.
A report by the Nigerian newspaper, the Punch, recently revealed that the regional government bill which was disclaimed by the House of Representatives, will be on the President’s desk by Friday.
The new bill; "A Bill for an Act to substitute the Annexure to Decree 24 of 1999 with New Governance Model for the Federal Republic of Nigeria," was drafted by chieftain Akin Fapohunda of the Yoruba socio-cultural association.
Among other things, it calls for new laws to be cited as "The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria New Governance Model for Nigeria Act 2024."
“I’m submitting my letter (draft bill) today but I will wait for seven days before releasing it to the public,” the Yoruba chieftain relayed to the Punch newspaper.
The regions intended for autonomy as carved out in the bill would include the southern region to be made up of Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, and Cross Rivers States.
Fapohunda revealed that the Southern region would have the option of including “the Annang, Effik, Ekoi, Ibibio, Oro Ohaji/Egbema in Southern Imo, the Adonia, Efemia, Ijaw, Ogoni, Bini, Ishan, Isoko, Urhobo and the Ijaw-speaking people in Northern Ondo State with land contiguity.”
He also added that the “South Eastern region would consists of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States.
The Western region would comprise Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, and Ekiti States, incorporating the Yoruba-speaking people in Kogi and the Igbomina people in Kwara State. Additional options would be the Itsekiri people of Delta State and Akoko-Edo people of Edo State to make their respective choices.”
As for the Mid-Western Region, he noted that it would be “made up of Edo and Delta States, possibly incorporating the Anioma people and the Eastern Middle Belt Region comprising Northern Cross River, Southern Kaduna, Southern Borno, Adamawa, Benue, Kogi, Plateau, Nasarawa and Taraba States.”
Sections of Borno, Gombe, Bauchi, Jigawa, and Yobe States will make up the North Eastern Region, while Southern Kebbi, portions of Kwara, and Niger States compose the Western Middle Belt Region.
Fapohunda also defined the North Western Region as Kaduna with portions of Kebbi, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara States.
This draft revolved around the idea of a two-tier government, federal and regional, with the regional government having as much autonomy over its affairs and resources as possible.
History of Nigeria's government structure
Although not an entirely new idea, generations and generations of indigenous Nigerians have no idea what it feels like to be under a regional government system.
This system was the status quo in the 50s but was replaced with a federal system in 1966, following the country’s first coup. The head of state at the time; General Aguiyi Ironsi, issued the "unification decree" after troops acting in rebellion killed prominent members of the country's political class.
He did this to promote national unity and eradicate sectional interests and tribal allegiance fostered by regionalism.
However, this style of government is not without its complications. It may have hindered the growth and development of several states, given how little power the state government has compared to the federal government.
