Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has slammed Nigeria’s brand of federalism.
He argued that the situation in which only the federal government can create local governments is unusual.
Diri also said Nigeria was on the wrong path to development and needed to turn back.
He said this during a lecture entitled “Rethinking our future: the need for true federalism and economic renaissance” at the 64th Foundation Day Lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State. stated.
Governor Bayelsa maintained that states should have the constitutional right to establish local governments and legislate in a true federal structure.
He reaffirmed his belief in the unity of Nigeria, saying it could only be sustained on the basis of equity, justice and equity.
Governor Diri said federalism is a very sensitive topic that affects the survival of businesses in Nigeria.
According to him, the fact that true federalism has become a lexicon that resonates across the socio-political landscape of Nigeria highlights the flaws in the governance structure operating in the country, which is constantly It is said that this is causing unrest.
He noted that Nigeria’s current governance structure cannot deliver the future that the majority of Nigerians desire and deserve.
Diri questioned Nigeria’s current federal system, arguing that it served the interests of the colonial powers, as opposed to the ideal pattern of federal formation, where states willingly form a nation, as in the United States. He said there is.
“We are all aware of the ongoing debate surrounding the issue of local government autonomy. My concerns about this sensitive topic extend beyond the issue of autonomy to the issue of its creation. The rationale lies in the fact that the current system of allocating funds based on the number of local governments puts some states at a disadvantage, especially Bayelsa State, which has only eight states. This occurs because states with more local governments receive more resources, regardless of their fiscal strength.
“Since the Constitution exclusively recognizes the states and the federal government as federal units, the creation of local governments by the federal government is an aberration and undermines the principles of federalism and state autonomy. My approach to addressing this issue is that the creation of local governments by the federal government is contradictory, as local governance is within the purview of the states, as state powers are clearly delineated. and create local government areas tailored to the state’s specific needs and financial capacity.”
