On the 2014 National Conference…beyond implementation

By Hon. Olawale Oshun

In August 2014, as the National Conference submitted its final report to the President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, I addressed him publicly on the importance of the Conference, the consensus arrived at and the compromises made by the pan Nigerian delegates that participated. I also nudged the President on the urgent need to commence the implementation of the key decisions arrived at. My argument is laid out in an open letter written to him.

Since the submission of the Conference’s final report, not a whimper had been heard from the Presidency. This appears to lend credence to those who alleged ab initio that the Conference was a mere political gimmick. Current developments are bearing this out in significant measure.

Nearly five hundred conference delegates put Nigeria first, due to a combination of factors that include diversity, age, occupation, profession, culture, interest, affiliations, politics, and the need to underscore that Nigerians wish to live together under a just and equitable system. Their decisions, embodied in that report, should not be left to rot away like many others before it.

The call this summit should make, is that irrespective of who emerges in the 2015 Presidential election, the new leadership must restructure the country into a true Federation. Not doing so, Nigeria would become an ostrich-nation that buries its head in the ground.

It is demanded of a new Nigeria President, therefore, sincerity of purpose, a good measure of leadership and courage of conviction to confront the structural challenges confronting our country. This task does not call for a dithering President. It does not call for an ethnocentric President either. It calls for a committed and bold Nigerian who believes that Nigeria should be an egalitarian homeland that addresses the needs, fears and aspirations of its people.

I dare assert that whether it is the blistering confrontation of our nation state by the Boko Haram insurgency, the kidnappers and the robbers, or the pervading corruption that has rendered the country impotent, or the impunity with which public officers’ conduct their official and private lives, none can be effectively or satisfactorily resolved unless the country is restructured. This is a demand of our people.

President Goodluck Jonathan set up the Conference. The Conference had come and gone. The decisions of the Conference were made possible by the compromises and sacrifices of the Igbo, the Hausa/Fulani, the Ibibio, the Ijaws, the Berom, the TiV, the Kanuri, the Itsekiri, the Yoruba and hundreds of other ethnic nationalities that make up the Nigerian Nation. A good leader would leverage on the social capital and consensual spirit that constitute parts of the outcome of the Conference.

Some of the key decisions of the Conference are:

  1. Local government administration: Yoruba people demanded for local authorities to solely become the responsibility of and for States. The Conference decided that a federation comprises of the federal government and the governments of the federating unit. Therefore, local governments’ administration and creation should be the responsibility of the federating unit. Consequently, the list of local governments would cease to be listed in the Constitution; hence the federating unit would have the authority to make laws regarding the content and context of its local government system.
  1. Form of government: Yoruba demanded for a parliamentary system - another anchor of our demand. This was not wholesomely achieved. A modified presidential model which enables a more accountable form of government with the ministers being appointed essentially from amongst elected parliamentarians was approved. This is described as the Modified Presidential system.
  1. On security: Yoruba people demanded for State and community based policing. The Conference approved the essential need for multi-level policing, to enable legislative authority to be backed up by appropriate enforcement authorities. Consequently the federating unit was enabled to establish the state police alongside the National policing system. Also, the Federal police should ensure that positions below but including that of the Deputy Superintendent of Police would be filled by persons from the locality.
  1. Constitution: Each federating unit is empowered to write its own Constitution as was the case with the independence constitution  of 1960
  1. On federating units: At the very core of our demand, Yoruba people went to the Conference to agitate for regionalism or nothing. The Conference decided that States should be the federating units. This prayer was also ameliorated with the decision that recognises the powers of federating units or states to come together to establish zonal commissions and/or institutions for the purpose of socio-economic, governance and developmental objectives of the collaborating states. On the sustained agitations by many nationalities wishing to merge with their kith and kin in other states, the Conference made a provision for the conduct of a referendum or plebiscite to enable such people take a decision, provided that the people making such claims are in States contiguous with one another. Consequently, a referendum might open the door for the Yoruba in Kwara, Kogi and any other parts, to merge with their kith and kin in the Southwest zone, albeit this will be subjected to a simple majority approval from the National Assembly.
  1. On the exclusive lists: Yoruba Agenda dictates that there should be one legislative list – the Exclusive List – and that whatever are not listed there should be in the purview of the States or federating units. The Conference however, came up with a resolution that would enable federating units or States to exploit hitherto economic opportunities that were the exclusive preserve of the central government. An example is the Conference’s decision to enable states who wish, to establish and operate airports, or invest in rail transport.
  1. On resource control: There were difficulties in fixing a derivative level for resources earned, as Yoruba people would have wanted. However, the Conference recommended that the federal government should set up a Technical Committee to work out modalities for review of such matters as derivation principles, solid mineral development fund etc. Our aspiration in Yoruba land is that this situation may ultimately lead to every federating unit being completely responsible for the natural resources generated in their domain, and each contributing to the federation as may be agreed upon.
  1. On revenue allocation formula: Yoruba people recommended a critical look at the current lopsided system that is in favour of the Federal government. However, the Conference agreed the following - federal government 42.5%, the State 35% and the local governments 22.5%. This resolution however appears contradictory to the Conference’s resolution on local government administration as this should have been a split between federal and state governments’ only.  

I am limiting myself to these areas, believing that the potential to exploit the decisions of the 2014 National Conference is enormous and that Nigeria and Nigerians remain the ultimate winner, if the incoming President were to wake up to the call to reform the nation.

I respectably request this summit to speak with one voice in demanding that the new incoming president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria would receive the support of the Yoruba people if our country is restructured to enable the foundation of and for a truly federation to be laid in this nation.

The 2014 National Conference had come and gone. As a people, our expectations are beyond the implementation of the core consensus from the Conference. The Yoruba people demand this as a minimum.

* Hon. Olawale Oshun is the Chairman of the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG). This paper was presented at the Pan-Yoruba Summit organised by the Yoruba Assembly held in Ibadan recently.