Why Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution as amended remains an albatross, By ‘Lai Olurode

I urge President Tinubu to construct consensus round core areas of issues to most Nigerians. Certainly, time is ticking quick. The second 12 months anniversary of his administration is only a few months away. This regime ought to mud the 2014 constitutional convention report and elite consensus round its adoption as a significant nationwide difficulty. Nigeria must return quick to the trail of robust and aggressive regional authorities. 

As Nigeria celebrates it’s sixty fourth independence anniversary, it is very important invite consideration to pertinent problems with growth within the nation. I want to admit that because it’s assumption of workplace on 29 Could, 2023, the federal authorities underneath the presidency of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken choices which might be far-reaching of their penalties. He has demonstrated a uncommon and super boldness in taken these choices, key amongst that are of financial and political significance.

The elimination of the subsidy on petroleum merchandise has been probably the most devastating in its social and political penalties, notably for the social sector. The poorest of the poor, the poor, the decrease class and the center class have skilled essential downward mobility. In fact, it have to be admitted that President Tinubu met a rustic that was virtually in misery when he got here in. There have been enormous money owed to be repaid, a big forms and unwieldy workforce, sundry safety challenges, and epileptic energy provide. The rationale wasn’t as a result of the previous president was weak or not robust sufficient. A lot of the challenges smack of weak establishments and a governing elite that’s primarily unpatriotic.

Nationwide developments underneath former President Muhammadu Buhari and in addition underneath the present dispensation of President Bola Tinubu stay daunting and apparently insurmountable. If Nigeria, from 1999 to 2015, was ruled by a political celebration which had a conservative orientation that might be argued as the explanation for lethargy in governance, how can we clarify our present predicaments with growth? On the helm of our affairs is a authorities run by a progressive celebration. What then is flawed with Nigeria?

As a rustic with the information of constant low human growth indicators, which have been thrown up in its sixty-four years of our existence as an unbiased nation, we have to urgently concentrate on the structure-agency relationships. For me, Nigeria’s 1999 Structure, as amended, stays an albatross, and an impediment to the realisation of our full potentials. It fosters a way of dependency between the centre authorities and the federating models. It makes the president appear like a superman who can accomplish all issues. The destiny of a rustic of over 200 million subsequently rests on one particular person. The variety of objects within the Unique Checklist, and over which solely the president can train energy, is simply too giant for an efficient resolution making course of. Sadly, as an alternative of an entire assessment and elite consensus constructing round an inevitable revisit of the 2014 constitutional convention, we hold embarking on a frolic journey, certainly a mission akin to reinventing the wheel. Nigeria, underneath the current constitutional framework, isn’t working to satisfy the yearnings of the bulk and minority teams. Totally different agitations have endured.

At a second degree, we can’t however be compelled to come back to the conclusion that there are certainly limits to the position of people in social historical past. People can’t journey far alone. Regardless of how robust they seem, they may prior to later turn out to be overwhelmed by social forces. People, irrespective of how highly effective, have to be demystified as mere brokers and are to not be substituted for the social forces that they characterize. We should desist from exaggerating their significance.

Personally, I really feel uncomfortable with the portrayal of the Federal Authorities and it’s companies as probably the most environment friendly and efficient. For instance, the reforms that appeared to have paid off within the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) had been of latest origin. There isn’t any assure that these good points can’t be reversed. There’s no assurance that the SIECs (STATE INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSIONS) can’t expertise a turnaround and turn out to be efficient brokers of the state. The Nigerian authorities ought to desist from insurance policies that may strengthen the grip of the centre on the state administrations. With the pure variety of Nigeria, a robust Federal Authorities received’t serve Nigeria’s pluralism very properly. Our variety have to be allowed to flourish underneath a very federal structure. Unsustainable reforms that fail to take cognisance of our complexity might outlast any authorities that put them in place.

I urge President Tinubu to construct consensus round core areas of issues to most Nigerians. Certainly, time is ticking quick. The second 12 months anniversary of his administration is only a few months away. This regime ought to mud the 2014 constitutional convention report and elite consensus round its adoption as a significant nationwide difficulty. Nigeria must return quick to the trail of robust and aggressive regional authorities. 

‘Lai Olurode is a retired professor of Sociology on the College of Lagos.