- Ask president to convene a meeting of governors, lawmakers, political leaders, CSOs to discuss report
- Urge National Assembly leadership to open debate on document to expedite implementation
In
a display of unity, the Southern Senators’ Forum, saturday, asked
President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately commence measures aimed at
implementing the 2014 National Conference report.
Rising
from a three-day conference in Calabar, the Cross River State capital,
the senators from different political parties tasked President Buhari to
immediately set up a platform for governors, members of the National
Assembly, Houses of Assembly, political leaders, civil society
organisations, and other stakeholders, to discuss the report’s
implementation mechanism.
The conference was convoked by the Peoples Democratic Party–led administration
of former President Goodluck Jonathan. The All Progressive Congress,
which was then in the opposition, had boycotted the conference, on which
basis the current APC-led government has consistently maintained that
it would not implement the report. Political analysts have, however,
argued that the National Assembly could on its own take key
recommendations of the conference as private member bills and pass them
or include them as amendments in the ongoing constitution review
exercise.
The
position of the senators was contained in a four-point communiqué read
by the chairman of the forum, Senator Hope Uzodinma, at the end of the
conference themed: “National Unity and Restructuring.”
According
to the communiqué, the forum asked the leadership of the National
Assembly to also open debate on the same document so that the
implementation thereof would be expedited.
The
communiqué further stated that while the unity of the country could not
be compromised, the forum believed that the principles on which the
country was created by the founding fathers had been eroded, hence the
need for a restructuring of Nigeria to create a new order, where equity,
justice and peace would prevail.
Uzodinma
said, “After presentation of papers, contributions and general
brainstorming, it was resolved that Nigeria and Nigerians have come a
long way. As such, it has become imperative and in the interest of all
to live together as one united family under one indivisible and
indissoluble country with justice, equity and fairness.
“While
the unity of Nigeria should not and cannot be compromised under any
circumstance, it has become apparent that the foundation upon which
Nigeria was built at independence in 1960 has been eroded. There is a
need to return to the original dream of true federalism, which was a
product of negotiation, compromise and accommodation.”
The
retreat, the chairman said, witnessed the presentation of papers from
prominent Nigerians on various topics, among them: “Sustaining National
Unity in a Restructured Nigeria”, “Provisions for National Unity in the
1999 Constitution (Amended)”, “Between the Dreams of Pre-independence
Nationalists and Restructuring: A Critical Look at the Past and Present”
and the “Imperatives of Restructuring in Multi-Religious Nigeria.”
Uzodinma
noted that the senators, who attended in their numbers, also engaged in
robust deliberations on what they considered the best way to move
Nigeria forward.
Key Recommendations of the 2014 Confab Report at a Glance!
Creation of 18 New States
The
conference recommended the creation of 18 new states – three per
geo-political zone. They include Apa, Edu, Kainji, Katagum, Savannah,
Amana, Gurara, Ghari, Etiti (South East zone), Aba, Adada, Njaba-Anim,
Anioma, Orashi, Ogoja, Ijebu and New Oyo.
Resource Control/Derivation Principle/Fiscal Federalism
The
conference held that assigning percentage for the increase in
derivation principle, and setting up Special Intervention Funds to
address issues of reconstruction and rehabilitation of areas ravaged by
insurgency and internal conflicts as well as solid minerals development,
require some technical details and consideration.
Public Finance/Revenue Allocation
The
conference noted that the sharing of the funds to the Federation
Account among the three tiers of government should be done in the
following manner: Federal Government – 42.5%, State Governments – 35%
and Local Governments 22.5%
Forms of Government
The
conference recommended the Modified Presidential System, a home-made
model of government that effectively combines the presidential and
parliamentary systems of government. The president shall pick the vice
president from the Legislature and should select not more than 18
ministers from the six geo -political zones and not more than 30% of his
ministers from outside the Legislature.
Legislature
The conference proposed a Bi-cameral legislature, but noted that members should serve on part-time basis
Power Sharing/Rotation
The
conference recommended that the presidential power should rotate
between the North and the South and among the six geo-political zones
while the governorship will rotate among the three senatorial districts
in a state.
Local Government
Local
Governments, the conference recommended, will no longer be the third
tier of government. The federal and states are now to be the only tiers
of government. States can now create as many local governments they
want. The Joint State/Local Government Account be scrapped and in its
place the establishment of a State RMAFC with representatives of Local
Government and a Chairman nominated by the Governor.
Immunity Clause
One
of the critical issues discussed is the immunity clause and it was
agreed that it should be removed if the offences attract criminal
charges to encourage accountability by those managing the economy.
Independent Candidacy
To
open up the political space, the conference recommended that every
Nigerian who meets the specified condition in the Electoral Act should
be free to contest elections as an independent candidate.
Governance
The
creation of the office of the Accountant General (Director-General) of
the Federation as a distinct and separate office from the Office of the
Accountant General of the Federal Government was recommended. The Office
of the Accountant General of the Federation shall oversee the accruals
of revenue into and disbursement from the Federation Account as and when
due; and shall administer these funds as required by the Constitution,
while the office of the Accountant General of the Federal Government
shall oversee the accounts of the Federal Government, the conference
inferred.
Anti-corruption
the
conference proposed Special Courts to handle corruption cases in the
light of undue prolongation in the trials and prosecution of corruption
cases in the regular courts.
Land Tenure Act
The
Land Tenure Act, according to the conference, should remain in the
Constitution but be amended to take care of certain concerns,
particularly on compensation in Section 29 (4) of the Act to read “land
owners should determine the price and value of their land based on open
market value”.
National Anthem
The conference also proposed the re-introduction of the old National Anthem
Religion
The
Conference recommended that would no longer be any government
sponsorship of Christian and Muslim pilgrimages to the holy lands. It
also resolved that churches and mosques should begin to pay tax to
government.
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