Regionalism: Who Is After Bamidele?

FELIX NWANERI writes on the attack on Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, over alleged claim that he is against the push for a return to regional government, which negates his contributions to Nigeria’s democracy and the ideals he stands for

There is no doubt that the clamour for restructuring of Nigeria has been a recurring decimal since the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999. The demand is predicated on the need to address pertinent issues of decentralization of power, fiscal federalism and state police, among others given the growing discontentment in the polity.

While some stakeholders have queried whether Nigeria should continue to operate the presidential system of government and a full-time legislature in the face of dwindling resources, advocates of restructuring have continued to insist on what they termed “re-tooling of the Nigerian federalism” by tinkering with items on the Exclusive and Concurrent Legislative lists as contained in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Most advocates of restructuring are of the view that the unitary constitution/system of government presently in place under the guise of a federal system has failed to solve the country’s numerous problems hence restructuring cannot be more urgent than now that Nigeria is faced with several existential threats.

There are other advocates of restructuring, who want a return to regional government. Nigeria’s administrative structure at independence in 1960 comprised three regions – Northern Region, Western Region and Eastern Region. Mid-Western Region was later carved out of the Western Region in 1963.

However, creation of states that began in 1967, following the dissolution of the region by General Yakubu Gowon’s regime has seen the number of states grow from 12 to 36.

However, despite the fact that 36-statestructure seems no longer sustainable to maintain due to dwindling revenue, the push to return Nigeria to regional system of government caused a rift among members of the Senate the recent retreat on amendments to the 1999 Constitution organised by the Senate Committee on Constitution Review.

While senators form Northern Nigeria vehemently opposed the idea, those from Southern Nigeria described it as a welcome development that would improve the economy, tackle insecurity and fast-track infrastructural development.

One of the Northern senators, Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central), who expressed firm opposition to regionalism, argued that during the First Republic, his constituency did not benefit from the regional government based in Kaduna.

He, therefore, emphasised that the focus should be on reforming the federal structure and implementing true fiscal federalism rather than reverting to regionalism. “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.

Another senator from the North, Sani Musa (Niger East), who spoke on the issue, clarified that the establishment of zonal development commissions should not be mistaken for a push towards regionalism. According to him, the commissions are intended for the social and economic development of their respective areas, not a step toward regional government.

A senator from the South, Abdulfatai Buhari (Oyo North), who supported the idea of regional government, not only highlighted the success of regions in harnessing their resources during the First Republic, but posited that decentralising power will 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, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who reassured Nigerians that regionalism was not part of the ongoing constitutional review, emphasised that any significant change, such as discarding the 1999 Constitution, will require not only legislative action but also a political consensus involving the Nigerian people.

His words: “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.”

No doubt, Bamidele stated the obvious given that two-third of the 36 states Houses of Assembly must be in concurrence with the National Assembly before any amendment to the constitution becomes effective, his explanation was, however, misconstrued in some political quarters to mean that he is against the push for a return to regional government.

Regionalism has its advantages, and if today such a proposal was to be brought up, of course, we will not turn our eyes and say that there is no positive to regionalism

But, unlike most timid Nigerian politicians, who think more about the security of their seats than the security of their country, the Senate Leader, who has never faltered on his advocacy for true federalism and cohesion within the various geopolitical zones, quickly absolved himself of the misconception.

The senator who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District insisted that the ignoble statement being credited to him was not only unfounded, false but spurious. He maintained that he remains an apostle of regionalism and good governance.

According to him, he had not only supported political ideology which sought to increase political power, influence and self-determination of the people of one or more subnational regions but good governance that guaranteed realisation of human rights in a manner essentially free of abuse and corruption and due regard for the rule of law.

Bamidele insisted that he knew nothing about a claim of dumping bill for regionalism being bandied by his detractors in the media space, describing it as ingenious compared to his various contributions to democracy since 1999, when Nigeria’s democracy began.

His words: “No true Nigerian who witnessed, read about the positive growth and infrastructural development that took place during the regional period of our time would say that such era should not be re-visited. So, I as a true Yoruba son also believe in the successes that were brought about when we had western region, the roads, free education and the general development.

“So, regionalism has its advantages, and if today such a proposal was to be brought up, of course we will not turn our eyes and say that there is no positive to regionalism.

If I am to be questioned, I think I would say that we should adopt the positive form of regionalism and blend it with current and the extant law of today, so that we can get the best of both sides. I think that is the way any true progressive will reason it out.”

While Bamidele’s position that the allegation by his traducers is nothing but a campaign of calumny against him, the question some analysts have asked over the development is: How true is the claim that the Senate Leader had done nothing “to promote Yoruba interest despite riding on the crest of Yoruba agitation to climb the political ladder” as postulated by his opponents?

Some of the Senate Leader’s constituents, who rose in his defense, described the allegation against him as political motivated given his rising profile in Ekiti State and national politics.

Among his numerous interventions that were pointed out include his recent mobilization of other federal lawmakers from South-West states to successfully lobby their colleagues to pass the bill for the establishment of the South West Development Commission (SWDC) as the Leader of the South-West National Assembly Caucus.

Bamidele had earlier explained the collaborative efforts of the South-West Caucus with federal lawmakers from other geo-political zones, secured majority support for the bill’s passage in the upper chamber, adding: “We are now awaiting concurrence from the House of Representatives before transmitting it to the President for assent.”

The Senate leader noted that the push for the SWDC’s establishment was a matter of equity, as other regions have similar commissions. “This bill and many others, remind us that when it comes to the development of our people, there is no room for division. We must continue to work together to achieve more.”