Jega Proposes Devolution of Power to States, LGAs

*Says return to regional structure not practicable
*Creation of states by military regimes helped to mitigate real and imagined/perceived marginalization

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Former Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega has called for the equitable redistribution of power and resources from the federal government to the sub-national units like the state governments and the Local Government Areas. He said the redistribution of power will make the country efficient and effective towards satisfying the aspirations of its citizens.

He made the proposal on Wednesday at a public lecture series at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi.
Jega described the redistribution of power to the sub-national group from the federal government as the most realistic and sustainable after a critical evaluation of the benefits and costs of all different notions of restructuring, including the creation of six regions, the return to the regional structure of 1960-1966, a return to the 12 states structure of 1967- 1976, the call for resource control, a confederal system and creation of 42 states to bring to seven the total number of states in each of the six geo-political zones.

“After a critical evaluation of the benefits versus the costs of each of these notions of restructuring, I believe that the starting point of the desirable and serious, even realistic and sustainable, restructuring–equitable redistribution of power and resources from the federal government to the sub-national governments/ units (i.e. from the federal government to state governments, and from states to local governments areas,’’ he said.
He also noted that the dismantling of the current 36 states structure and reconfiguring the states into pre- 1966 Regional structure or into 12 states or 36 states or 42 is at worst unrealistic, a pipe-dream; and virtually impossible to do.

He said the social and political costs of such an undertaking would far outweigh the benefits.
He said: “In many fundamental respects, creation of states by military regimes since 1967 has gone a long way to mitigate real and imagined/ perceived marginalization of minorities; although given Nigeria’s complex diversity, the more states created, the more viability is threatened, and the more the newer majorities and minorities emerge with fresh demands by the new minorities for their own states”.

According to him contemplating any of the agitations would upset the democratic electoral agenda and key milestone of 2023 general election which may result in generalised anarchy and reversal of national aspirations for good democratic governance.

Jega also warned of the challenges and tension that could arise from any attempt to resuscitate the old regional structure or create 42 states, noting that it would be difficult as it would be akin to asking the people to voluntarily surrender their autonomy.

He conceded that the restructuring of the country will bring about the stability of the polity and make the environment amenable to accelerated socio-economic development, strengthen national unity, eliminate mutual suspicion, ensure peaceful coexistence and create equal opportunities for all citizens throughout the country.

According to him, restructuring will make the existing states and local government more functional and more viable as government entities as well as defend the rights of citizens throughout the country by giving primacy to citizenship and residency rights over and above the so-called indigenes rights.
He said when the country is restructured and managed properly the benefits to the citizens of remaining together in one united country would by far outweigh the cost of separation into smaller sovereign ethno-religious entities.

He gave suggestions on how to restructure the country, by calling for the reduction of the power and resources available to the federal government as specified in the exclusive federal and concurrent legislative lists in the 1999 Constitution, in addition to increasing the power and resources of the state government on the legislative list consistent with global best practices.
The former INEC chairman also said that states can create development areas as the lower level tier of administration at the grassroots level below the local government areas.

He also proposed that the provision of healthcare, education, agriculture, housing and urban development and water resources should be state responsibility while the role of the federal government should be limited to interstate commerce, national banking, currencies, foreign relations, communications, aviation, seaport, foreign loans, armed forces and security services, postal service and telecommunications, mining and such.

Afterward, according to him, the federal government should subsequently dismantle the MDAs and replace them with smaller, compact and focused departments as well as set up an agency for interdepartmental relations to facilitate and coordinate and nurture and strengthen federal-state inter relations.
He urged the reduction of the cost of governance in form of reduction of frivolous foreign trips, cutting off governors’ pension as well as a reduction in the cost running of Presidential Villa and governors’ lodges and the reduction in the number of special advisers attached to political office holders.
“The federal government should introduce governance reforms to improve efficiency and effectiveness of governance at all levels as well drastically reduce the cost of governance.

“A lot can be done in this regard, within the extant legal framework, using executive orders and without the necessity of constitutional reforms. For example, frivolous foreign trips should be curtailed; our relatively liberal/ generous estacodes and DTAs for legislatures and high public officials should be drastically reduced, security votes’ for chief executives should be reduced and expenditures from them made more transparent, with strict accountability standards. Also, entertainment and meeting expenditures of MDAs should be drastically reduced and expenditure from them made more transparent, with strict accountability standards.

“Also entertainment and meeting expenditures of MDAs should be drastically reduced. Executives at both federal and state levels should pay for their own upkeep, as is the good practice globally, thereby reducing cost of running the Villa and Governors’ lodges, or those of heads of legislative organs of government.

“The unethical humongous pensions of governors should be stopped; the numbers of PAs, SAs, SSAs among others as well as the number of vehicles in conveys of public officials should be reduced.
“Other cost saving measures to reduce the cost of governance should include a consideration for reducing the size and composition of legislative bodies at both federal and state levels. For example, reducing the number of members of the federal and state legislatures by one-third or half of the present size and making legislative work part time as against being a permanent preoccupation as it the case presently,” Jega said.