Constitution review: Nigerian lawmakers told to immediately return country to regional govt, see details

• The OPC has made a renewed call for the return of Nigeria to a regional system of government, saying it is the only way to drive development
• The system was practised in the country between the 1950s and 1966 before the introduction of a unitary government by Nigeria’s first military Head of State, late General Aguiyi Ironsi
• Reacting to the ceaseless calls in an interview with Legit.ng, a political scientist, Dr. Adigun Muse, advised citizens to "learn to live with our constitution”

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public affairs and governance.

Ibadan, Oyo state - The Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) has reiterated its call for a return of Nigeria to the regional system of government.

The OPC urged the national assembly committee on the review of the 1999 constitution to discharge its responsibility with utmost consideration so that Nigeria can return to a regional government.

The Nigerian regional system successfully held sway in the West, North, and East of Nigeia until 1966. Photo credit: @barauijibrin
Source: Twitter

OPC backs calls for regional govt

OPC gave this charge in a recent statement by its spokesperson, Barrister Yinka Oguntimehin. It said it was lending its support to the growing calls by various ethnic groups across the country for a return to the 1960 constitution.

The Nigerian Tribune quoted the Yoruba group's spokesperson as saying:

“Nigerians need to realise that the founding fathers of the country knew what was best for us when they bequeathed a regional system of government to us in 1960.“Therefore, for Nigeria to make any meaningful progress and stop this vicious -cycle of motion without movement, we must return to a regional system of government, which was the original plan for Nigeria.”

Call for constitutional change: Expert reacts

Meanwhile, Adigun Muse, a political scientist, said just like any man-made law, there is no perfect constitution anywhere in the world.

Muse, in an interview with Legit.ng, reacted to the persistent call for a new Nigerian charter, saying “we have to learn to live with our constitution”

The former head of the political science department at the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), said:

“The so-called 1999 constitution we are talking about was actually the 1979 constitution. It was after a lot of review that led us to the 1999 constitution. And the constitution was also drafted by Nigerians, it was not drafted by aliens.”

Admitting that some things are missing, Muse said:

‘What we need to put in place is number one, the government must block all the loopholes. We are wasting a lot of resources in this country. You will see a situation whereby we have a governor. The governor has a commissioner, the commissioner has their own PA. So, in one office, we are having like four, five six people.”

He continued:

“The second issue is trust. The citizens do not trust the government. We have to enshrine trust in ourselves. When there is no trust between the government and the governed, then the constitution is not going to work. It is not about the constitution per se, it is those that are implementing it.”

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Source: Legit.ng