2 - Re-inventing Federalism in Post-Transition Nigeria: Problems and Prospects
Corresponding Author(s) : Osita Agbu
Africa Development,
Vol. 29 No. 2 (2004): Africa Development
Abstract
This paper grapples with the question of Nigeria's federal practice. It argues that there is a need to re-examine federalism in the country with a view to restructuring the system so that it reflects the ethnological and political realities on the ground. It proposes the de-concentration or decentralisation of the powers of the central government, which increased astronomically during military rule to the disadvantage of the component units—the states. In addressing this subject matter, the paper critically examines the theoretical basis for the notion of federalism, seeking to determine Nigeria's suitability as a federal state in the first instance. A historical overview of the origin of Nigeria's federalism— alongside a discussion of present-day predicaments—is presented in the preliminary analysis. Subsequently, the persisting problems in Nigeria's federalism—like the monopoly of state power, revenue allocation, state creation and federal character—are re-visited with a view to determining the situation in the post-transition democratic environment. Finally, the paper makes a case for the constitutional division of the country into geo-political zones, the rotation of power amongst these zones, and the decentralisation of power away from the centre ft) the states and local governments.
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- Aborishade, Oladimeji and Robert J. Mündt, 1998, Politics in Nigeria, London, Longman. Adele-Jinadu, L., 1994, 'Federalism and the Structure of Nigerian Federation: Some Recurrent Issues', The Nigerian Journal of Federalism, Vol.1, No.2, December. Agbu, Osita, 1998, 'Political Opposition and Democratic Transitions in Nigeria, 1985-1996', in Adebayo O. Olukoshi, ed., The Politics of Opposition in Contemporary Africa, Uppsala, Nordiska Afrikainstitutet. Agbaje, Adigun, 1998, 'The Ideology of Power sharing: An Analysis of Content, Context and Intent', in Kunle Amuwo et al., eds., Federalism and Political Restructuring in Nigeria, Ibadan, Spectrum Books Limited. Akinola, A. Anthony, 1996, Rotational Presidency, Ibadan, Spectrum Books Limited. Awolowo-Dosunmu, 1994, 'Observations on Nigerian Federalism', The Nigerian Journal of Federalism, Vol. 1, No. 1, June. Ayoade, J. A.A., 1998, 'The Federal Character Principle and the Search for National Integration', in Kunle Amuwo et. al., eds., Federalism and Political Restructuring in Nigeria, UNRISD, Aldershot, Ashgate Publishing Company. Deutsch, W. Karl, 1980, Politics and Government, Duxbury. Duchacek, Ivo, 1977, 'Antagonistic Cooperation: Territorial and Ethnic Communities', Publias: The Journal of Federalism, Fall. Elaigwu, J. I., 1979, 'The military and State-building: Federal-state Relations in Nigeria's Military Federation, 1966-76', in A. B. Akinyemi et al., eds., Readings on Federalism, Lagos, NIIA. Elaigwu, J. I., 1994, 'Ethnicity and the Federal Option in Africa', The Nigerian Journal of Federalism, Vol.1, No.l June. Ekeh, P. Peter, ed., 1997, Wilberforce Conference on Nigerian Federalism, New York, Association of Nigerian Scholars for Dialogue. Ekpu, Ray, 1994, 'Rotational Presidency', Newswatch, 7, November. Federal Military Government, 1967, The Struggle for One Nigeria, Lagos. Forbes, Donald, 1994, 'Canada: From Bilingualism to Multiculturalism', Larry Diamond and Marc F. Plattner eds., Nationalism, Ethnic Conflict, and Democracy, Baltimore, The John Hopkins University Press. Forje, W. John, 1981, The One and Indivisible Cameroon, Lund, Department of Politics, University of Lund. Gana, T. Aaron, 1999, 'Federalism and the National Question in Nigeria: A Theoretical Exploration', AFRIGOV Conference on New Directions in Federalism in Africa, March 14-18, Abuja. Gudina, Merera, 1994, The New Directions of Ethiopian Politics: Democratising a Multiethnic Society, Ethiopia 94, Lawrenceville, Red Sea Press, Michigan State University.This content downloaded from 213.154.73.3 on Mon, 06 Dec 2021 10:06:54 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
- Agbu: Re-inventing Federalism in Post-transition Nigeria 51 Hardgrave, L. Robert, 1994, 'India: The Dilemmas of Diversity', in Larry Diamond and Marc F. Plattner eds., Nationalism, Ethnic Conflict, and Democracy, Baltimore, The Johns Hopkins University Press. Ibrahim, J., 2001, 'Whither the Dividends of Democracy in Nigeria', News from the Nordic Africa Institute, No. 3, October. Jackson, H. Robert and Carl G. Rösberg, 1984, 'Personal Rule: Theory and Practice in Africa', Comparative Politics, July. Jennings, F., 1966, 'Some characteristics of the Indian Constitution', in R. L. Watts ed., New Federations: Experiments in the Commonwealth, London, Oxford University Press. Joseph, Richard, 1991, Democracy and Prebendal Politics in Nigeria: The Rise and fall of the Second Republic, Ibadan, Spectrum Books. Kirk-Green, A. H.M., 1975, The Genesis of the Nigerian Civil War and the Theory of Fear, Uppsala, The Scandinavian Institute of African Affairs, Research Report no. 27. Kousoulas, D. George, 1979, On Government and Politics, Duxbury. Liphart, Arend, 1977, Democracy in Plural Societies: A Comparative Exploration, New Haven, Yale University Press. Long, J. Anthony, 1991, 'Federalism and Ethnic Self-determination: Native Indians in Canada', The Journal of Commonwealth and Comparative Studies, Vol.XXIX, No.2, July. Madunagu, E., 1993, 'Problems and Prospects', The Guardian, 22 April. Mbanefo, F. Gini and F. O. Egwaikhide, 1998, 'Revenue Allocation in Nigeria: Derivation Principle Re-visited', in Kunle Amuwo et al., eds., Federalism and Political Restructuring in Nigeria, Ibadan, Spectrum Books. Momoh, Abubakar, 1999, 'Problemitizing The Issues and Politics in Civil Society's notion of Federalism in Nigeria', AFRIGOV Conference on New Directions in Federalism in Africa, March 14-18, Abuja. Natufe, Igho O., 1999, 'Mid-West and the Future of Nigerian Federalism, An Essay in Honour of the Mid-West History Month', Benin. Nnoli, Okwudiba, 1995, Ethnicity and Development in Nigeria, UNRISD, Ashgate Publishing Company. Nwankwo, Arthur A. and Samuel U. Ifejika, 1969, The Making of a Nation: Biafra, London, C. Hurst and Company. Olukoshi, Adebayo and Osita Agbu, 1995, 'The Deepening Crisis of Nigerian Federalism and the Future of the Nation-State', in Liisa Laakso and A. Olukoshi eds., Challenges to the Nation-State in Africa, Uppsala, The Nordic Africa Institute. Powell, G. Bingham, 1982, Contemporary Democracies: Participation, Stability, and Violence, Cambridge, Harvard University Press, Serra-Horguelin, Arnault, 1999, The Federal Experiment in Ethiopia: A Socio political Analysis, Bordeaux, National Research Centre.This content downloaded from 213.154.73.3 on Mon, 06 Dec 2021 10:06:54 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
- Africa Development, Vol. XXIX, No. 2, 2004 Suberu,T. Rotimi, 1994, 'The Travails of Federalism in Nigeria', in Larry Diamond and Marc F. Plattner eds., Nationalism, Ethnic Conflict, and Democracy, Baltimore and London, The Johns Hopkins University Press. Suberu, T. Rotimi, 1997, 'Federalism, Ethnicity and Regionalism in Nigeria', in Paul A. Beckett and Crawford Young, eds., Dilemmas of Democracy in Nigeria, Rochester, University of Rochester. Suberu, T. Rotimi andAdigunAgbaje, 1998, 'The Future ofNigeria's Federalism', in Kunle Amuwo et. al., eds., Federalism and Political Restructuring in Nigeria, Ibadan, Spectrum Books. Tagowa, N. Wonotanzokan, 1994, 'The Structural Transformation ofNigeria's Federal Compact and Nation-Building', The Nigerian Journal of Federalism, Vol.1, No.2, December. The Guardian (Lagos), 2000, 10 November. Uwazurike, Chudi, 1997, 'Politics and the Search for Accommodation in Nigeria: Will Rotational Consociationalism Suffice?' Dilemmas of Democracy in Nigeria, New York, University of Rochester Press. Vanguard (Lagos), 2001, 22 October. Wheare, K. C., 1964, Federal Government, eLondon, Oxford University Press
References
Aborishade, Oladimeji and Robert J. Mündt, 1998, Politics in Nigeria, London, Longman. Adele-Jinadu, L., 1994, 'Federalism and the Structure of Nigerian Federation: Some Recurrent Issues', The Nigerian Journal of Federalism, Vol.1, No.2, December. Agbu, Osita, 1998, 'Political Opposition and Democratic Transitions in Nigeria, 1985-1996', in Adebayo O. Olukoshi, ed., The Politics of Opposition in Contemporary Africa, Uppsala, Nordiska Afrikainstitutet. Agbaje, Adigun, 1998, 'The Ideology of Power sharing: An Analysis of Content, Context and Intent', in Kunle Amuwo et al., eds., Federalism and Political Restructuring in Nigeria, Ibadan, Spectrum Books Limited. Akinola, A. Anthony, 1996, Rotational Presidency, Ibadan, Spectrum Books Limited. Awolowo-Dosunmu, 1994, 'Observations on Nigerian Federalism', The Nigerian Journal of Federalism, Vol. 1, No. 1, June. Ayoade, J. A.A., 1998, 'The Federal Character Principle and the Search for National Integration', in Kunle Amuwo et. al., eds., Federalism and Political Restructuring in Nigeria, UNRISD, Aldershot, Ashgate Publishing Company. Deutsch, W. Karl, 1980, Politics and Government, Duxbury. Duchacek, Ivo, 1977, 'Antagonistic Cooperation: Territorial and Ethnic Communities', Publias: The Journal of Federalism, Fall. Elaigwu, J. I., 1979, 'The military and State-building: Federal-state Relations in Nigeria's Military Federation, 1966-76', in A. B. Akinyemi et al., eds., Readings on Federalism, Lagos, NIIA. Elaigwu, J. I., 1994, 'Ethnicity and the Federal Option in Africa', The Nigerian Journal of Federalism, Vol.1, No.l June. Ekeh, P. Peter, ed., 1997, Wilberforce Conference on Nigerian Federalism, New York, Association of Nigerian Scholars for Dialogue. Ekpu, Ray, 1994, 'Rotational Presidency', Newswatch, 7, November. Federal Military Government, 1967, The Struggle for One Nigeria, Lagos. Forbes, Donald, 1994, 'Canada: From Bilingualism to Multiculturalism', Larry Diamond and Marc F. Plattner eds., Nationalism, Ethnic Conflict, and Democracy, Baltimore, The John Hopkins University Press. Forje, W. John, 1981, The One and Indivisible Cameroon, Lund, Department of Politics, University of Lund. Gana, T. Aaron, 1999, 'Federalism and the National Question in Nigeria: A Theoretical Exploration', AFRIGOV Conference on New Directions in Federalism in Africa, March 14-18, Abuja. Gudina, Merera, 1994, The New Directions of Ethiopian Politics: Democratising a Multiethnic Society, Ethiopia 94, Lawrenceville, Red Sea Press, Michigan State University.This content downloaded from 213.154.73.3 on Mon, 06 Dec 2021 10:06:54 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
Agbu: Re-inventing Federalism in Post-transition Nigeria 51 Hardgrave, L. Robert, 1994, 'India: The Dilemmas of Diversity', in Larry Diamond and Marc F. Plattner eds., Nationalism, Ethnic Conflict, and Democracy, Baltimore, The Johns Hopkins University Press. Ibrahim, J., 2001, 'Whither the Dividends of Democracy in Nigeria', News from the Nordic Africa Institute, No. 3, October. Jackson, H. Robert and Carl G. Rösberg, 1984, 'Personal Rule: Theory and Practice in Africa', Comparative Politics, July. Jennings, F., 1966, 'Some characteristics of the Indian Constitution', in R. L. Watts ed., New Federations: Experiments in the Commonwealth, London, Oxford University Press. Joseph, Richard, 1991, Democracy and Prebendal Politics in Nigeria: The Rise and fall of the Second Republic, Ibadan, Spectrum Books. Kirk-Green, A. H.M., 1975, The Genesis of the Nigerian Civil War and the Theory of Fear, Uppsala, The Scandinavian Institute of African Affairs, Research Report no. 27. Kousoulas, D. George, 1979, On Government and Politics, Duxbury. Liphart, Arend, 1977, Democracy in Plural Societies: A Comparative Exploration, New Haven, Yale University Press. Long, J. Anthony, 1991, 'Federalism and Ethnic Self-determination: Native Indians in Canada', The Journal of Commonwealth and Comparative Studies, Vol.XXIX, No.2, July. Madunagu, E., 1993, 'Problems and Prospects', The Guardian, 22 April. Mbanefo, F. Gini and F. O. Egwaikhide, 1998, 'Revenue Allocation in Nigeria: Derivation Principle Re-visited', in Kunle Amuwo et al., eds., Federalism and Political Restructuring in Nigeria, Ibadan, Spectrum Books. Momoh, Abubakar, 1999, 'Problemitizing The Issues and Politics in Civil Society's notion of Federalism in Nigeria', AFRIGOV Conference on New Directions in Federalism in Africa, March 14-18, Abuja. Natufe, Igho O., 1999, 'Mid-West and the Future of Nigerian Federalism, An Essay in Honour of the Mid-West History Month', Benin. Nnoli, Okwudiba, 1995, Ethnicity and Development in Nigeria, UNRISD, Ashgate Publishing Company. Nwankwo, Arthur A. and Samuel U. Ifejika, 1969, The Making of a Nation: Biafra, London, C. Hurst and Company. Olukoshi, Adebayo and Osita Agbu, 1995, 'The Deepening Crisis of Nigerian Federalism and the Future of the Nation-State', in Liisa Laakso and A. Olukoshi eds., Challenges to the Nation-State in Africa, Uppsala, The Nordic Africa Institute. Powell, G. Bingham, 1982, Contemporary Democracies: Participation, Stability, and Violence, Cambridge, Harvard University Press, Serra-Horguelin, Arnault, 1999, The Federal Experiment in Ethiopia: A Socio political Analysis, Bordeaux, National Research Centre.This content downloaded from 213.154.73.3 on Mon, 06 Dec 2021 10:06:54 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
Africa Development, Vol. XXIX, No. 2, 2004 Suberu,T. Rotimi, 1994, 'The Travails of Federalism in Nigeria', in Larry Diamond and Marc F. Plattner eds., Nationalism, Ethnic Conflict, and Democracy, Baltimore and London, The Johns Hopkins University Press. Suberu, T. Rotimi, 1997, 'Federalism, Ethnicity and Regionalism in Nigeria', in Paul A. Beckett and Crawford Young, eds., Dilemmas of Democracy in Nigeria, Rochester, University of Rochester. Suberu, T. Rotimi andAdigunAgbaje, 1998, 'The Future ofNigeria's Federalism', in Kunle Amuwo et. al., eds., Federalism and Political Restructuring in Nigeria, Ibadan, Spectrum Books. Tagowa, N. Wonotanzokan, 1994, 'The Structural Transformation ofNigeria's Federal Compact and Nation-Building', The Nigerian Journal of Federalism, Vol.1, No.2, December. The Guardian (Lagos), 2000, 10 November. Uwazurike, Chudi, 1997, 'Politics and the Search for Accommodation in Nigeria: Will Rotational Consociationalism Suffice?' Dilemmas of Democracy in Nigeria, New York, University of Rochester Press. Vanguard (Lagos), 2001, 22 October. Wheare, K. C., 1964, Federal Government, eLondon, Oxford University Press