Next week, a bill proposing Nigeria’s return to a regional government structure is expected to be presented to Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
A new constitutional framework known as “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria New Governance Model for Nigeria Act 2024” is intended to be established by the bill titled “A Bill for an Act to substitute the annexure to Decree 24 of 1999 with new governance model for the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” according to report.
In contrast to the current constitution, which it characterises as being imposed by the military without the express agreement of the people, the draft bill highlights the necessity for a constitution that reflects the discussions and consensus of the Nigerian people.
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Under the proposed federal/regional administration, ethnic groups inside states would have the autonomy to self-organize into autonomous provinces, divisions, and districts.
The preliminaries of the bill partly read, “Whereas Nigeria, its peoples and government have been governed under Decree 24 of 1999 that was handed down by the then military government without the express consent of the people despite the preamble of ‘We, the people.’
“Whereas the said Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) is not autochthonous as it does not evolve from the deliberations and consensus of the Nigerian People; whereas the peoples of Nigeria now desire and effectively demand for a change to a constitution based on federal/regional system of government.
“Whereas the federal and regional governments are to operate within the provisions of this Constitution, it is within the discretion of the ethnic blocs within the states that constitutes a given region to aggregate or disaggregate as provinces, divisions and districts, while being in control of their affairs without let or hindrance at whatever level of governance.”
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The House, however, rejected the bill because, according to House Spokesman Akin Rotimi and Rules and Business Chairman Francis Waive, the proposed law was not brought before committee for consideration.
The bill’s drafter, Dr. Akin Fapohunda, stated that prior to formally presenting the legislation to the parliament, he intended to interact with National Assembly members. He has, therefore, made the decision to forward the proposed legislation straight to Tinubu, who can subsequently submit it as an executive bill to the legislature.
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