BUHARI AND THE ASABA DECLARATION…2

Continued from yesterday

Nigeria needs to be restructured so that it can work for all citizens

The proposed enactment of the anti-grazing laws by southern governors was meant to protect residents of their states from the activities of some violent herdsmen who hide behind what is ordinarily a legitimate enterprise to perpetrate all kinds of criminality. Interestingly, many individuals and groups across the north are also of the view that open grazing of cattle should give way to modernity. The Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, a Fulani, has consistently called for the abolition of open grazing. He has gone beyond mere words and built formidable ranching resorts for herdsmen and has even extended invitation to others who are interested to come to Kano and do business. Besides, the patron of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Walid Jibrin has more or less thrown his weight behind the ban.

However, beyond the ban on open grazing, the Southern governors also advocated restructuring of the Nigerian federation, creation of state police, review of revenue allocation formula in favour of the sub-national governments, implementation of the federal character principle, and an urgent national dialogue. But here, they are not saying anything new. Against the background of the failure of the federal government to properly manage our diversity and the growing insecurity across the country, there is a unanimous resolution by several stakeholders that the system needs to be tinkered with.

First, we reaffirm our position that Nigeria needs to be restructured so it can work for all citizens. There is a consensus that the present structure of the federation is increasingly becoming a recipe for uncertainty and instability. We also cannot deny that Nigeria practices a weird form of federalism that is not only antithetical to growth and development, but also suffocating. It is federalism with highly unitary tendencies, where almost all powers are concentrated at the centre with the federating units – states and local governments – reduced to mere appendages. We therefore need constitutional adjustments to devolve responsibility from the centre to the periphery while at the same time enhancing separation of powers at state level to curtail the autocratic tendencies of governors.

Unfortunately, the only item in the resolution by Southern governors that concerns the presidency is the ban on open grazing. Yet, the obligation of state governors to make laws aimed at the protection of lives and property is a cardinal part of our constitution. Therefore, where a group of state governors perceives a threat that is common to their states, it is within their rights to enact laws separately or collectively to address such threats.

It is noteworthy that presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, has walked back on the earlier position credited to President Muhammadu Buhari which was in word and spirit a denigration of the elevated office he occupies. The presidency has no business taking sides on a matter that concerns the interests of a contentious special interest, notably the herders. The implied equation of freedom of herders with those of other Nigerians plying legitimate and harmless trades all over the country is a dangerous development. It merely adds credence to the charges that this presidency is the author of serious divisive policies and tendencies in the polity.

Ordinarily, if the federal government feels that the impending state legislations on open grazing constitute a violation of any aspect of the constitution, it reserves the right to challenge the legislation in court when enacted. It is only the success of such a legal challenge that can invalidate the law made by the states and its application. Now that Nigerians have been told that the objective of the president and the southern governors is “fully” aligned, it is time to move to the more important issue of restructuring the country for effective governance.