Friday, June 14, 2024 -Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II has said that regionalism and parliamentary system of government are not solutions to Nigeria's problem.
Sanusi who said this in an interview
with Vanguard, questioned the necessity of a bicameral legislature
and the rationale behind appointing ministers from every state, even when not
required. He noted that it contributes to bureaucratic
inefficiencies and does not necessarily serve the best interests of the nation.
He also criticized
the federal government's interference in state matters, particularly regarding
traditional and chieftaincy affairs. Emir Sanusi also stressed the importance
of upholding constitutional principles and maintaining a clear separation of
powers to ensure accountable governance.
The monarch who noted that
regionalism will exacerbate the issues in the country
rather than resolve existing tensions, also called for a more cohesive national
identity and governance structure that promotes unity and accountability.
He said;
“I think there are several things we can do
to address those structures because at the end of the day if you allow the
state governors to run, the thing with devolution is we have 36 states, if only
half of the governors are good, at least half of Nigeria has a good government.
There is too much power at the centre, too much of the resources. The centre
does not do primary education or primary healthcare, and that is where the vast
majority of Nigerians are. Shouldn’t those resources come to the state? Instead
of everybody going to Abuja, what is happening in Abuja? There are several
issues that we need to look at. And also simple constitutionalism and
federalism, just even the respect of separation of separation of power. If you
take the example of what is happening in Kano today, chieftaincy matter is 100
per cent a state matter.
“We had a parliamentary system in the First
Republic. What happened? At the end of the day, it is the humans that operate
the system. People talk about regions. Initially, the regions we had in this
country were North, East, and West, and then it became NorthEast and MidWest.
Where did the creation called six geo-political zones come from historically?
We can keep dividing and subdividing this country and thinking of ourselves,
but are we really honest? Are these regions?
“If you go to the Niger Delta, since when did the Itsekiri stop fighting wars
against the Ijaw? Since when did we become homogeneous?
“It was the Sokoto Jihad that brought us together. From the Sokoto caliphate,
we became Northerners, from Northerners, we became Nigerians. When I was in
King’s College, I grew up under Yakubu Gowon in a country where Nigerians were
thinking like Nigerians. What happened? Political leadership is the one that
exploits regional and ethnic identities as part of the struggle for political
office.
“When they get there,
they all sit together. If you look at the president’s cabinet, what do you
have? You have everybody from every state. You have Christians, you have
Muslims, you have Northerners and Southerners. Why are they not fighting one
another in there? The elites are irresponsible.
“Don’t think that
pandering to these elites by saying the solution is going to a regional system
of government. How do we go regional? In Yorubaland, there are Ijebu, Ekiti,
Ijesha, Owo, and Egba since when did they become one? Right there between Ife
and Modakeke, they were killing each other. It is not about that. It is not a
solution. How many parts are you going to slice this country to get a
homogenous country? How? With all the intermarriages and education, I am not
sure that is a solution, and I think people have this dream that can only be
sold by blocking out history.
“We had a regional system in the First Republic. How did it end? We had a
parliamentary system in the First Republic. How did it end? I am not talking
about the coup; I am talking about the crisis that led to the coup. Before
Nzeogu, forget Ironsi. How was the system before they came? Is there any
documentary evidence that that system was fundamentally better than what we
have?
“We can’t shift responsibilities away from human beings, the people who are responsible for operating the system. If you go to the Senate and the House of Representatives, and you are there for 16 years and you have never passed a bill, you don’t even know that your job is to be a lawmaker.”
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