There seem to be hope for the call for restructuring as the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Committee on restructuring, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, has said majority of his committee members argued in favour of the devolution of powers and control of resources by state governments.
According to the governor, who spoke on restructuring at the Chatham House, London, members of the 10-man committee also sought redefinition of citizenship to afford every Nigerian equal opportunity to political and economic opportunities in any part of the country.
El-Rufai further disclosed that the committee’s deliberations focused on four areas of devolution of powers, review of the revenue allocation formula, citizenship and a review of the recommendations of the 2005 and 2014 national conferences.
The report of the committee’s deliberation would be ready at the end of October, he said.
El-Rufai said, “The APC set up a Committee on True Federalism to help give structure to the debate, remove the bile and bitterness colouring the matter and transform the discourse into a nation-building opportunity.
“The preponderance of opinion is that the Federal Government needs to shed weight and return powers and resources to the states where most government functions can be more efficiently undertaken. For the states to take on these powers, they need to access a greater share of the nation’s resources. And we need to sort out the notion of citizenship so that every Nigerian can enjoy the protection of the constitution wherever they choose to reside.
“In many communities, people still use the notion of ‘indigeneship’ to consign compatriots to a position of ‘settler’ and, by implication, perpetual exclusion from enjoying the full political, social and economic opportunities guaranteed by the constitution to every citizen.”
He further stated that the committee also identified 12 contentious issues, including the creation or merger of states, derivation, fiscal federalism, devolution and what should constitute the federating units, adding that the committee would subject the issues to public hearing to ensure that it came up with a credible report.
“In this regard, we have put up an announcement calling on members of the public to submit memoranda and meet us at designated venues of the public hearings without any discrimination. So, it is an open invitation to all Nigerians to attend and make their views and voices to country.
“With this multi-pronged approach, we are confident we will feel the pulse of ordinary Nigerians and submit a credible report that will guide the leaders of our party, and the government. With this open-minded approach to the question of restructuring, I have no doubt that we will credibly fulfil our terms of reference,” he said.
According to him, the committee would encourage consensus on reducing the Exclusive List, introduction of state constitutions, state police, state appeal and supreme courts, reviewed tax powers and transfer of control of mineral rights to the states.
