- Senators from Nigeria’s North and South expressed opposing views on regionalism, with Northern senators citing past failures and Southern senators supporting potential benefits
- Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele reassured that regionalism is not part of the ongoing constitutional review, despite differing opinions among senators
Senators from Nigeria’s northern and southern regions have expressed opposing views on the call for a return to regionalism in the country’s government structure.
The disagreement emerged during discussions at a two-day retreat on constitutional amendments organized by the Senate Committee on Constitution Review in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) in Kano.
While senators from the North opposed the idea, those from the South welcomed it, arguing that regionalism could enhance the economy, address insecurity, and accelerate infrastructural development.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele reassured Nigerians that the issue of regionalism was not part of the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution.
Northern Senators’ Perspective
Abdul Ningi, a ranking senator from Bauchi Central Senatorial District, expressed strong opposition to the return to regionalism, citing the lack of development experienced by the North when the system was previously practised in the defunct First Republic.
Senator Sani Musa, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, advised Nigerians not to confuse the creation of zonal development commissions with regionalism.
He clarified that the commissions were focused solely on social and economic development in their respective areas.
Similarly, former Senate Leader Ali Ndume stated that true federalism was outdated, noting that many African countries had moved away from the system.
Instead, he advocated for the establishment of strong institutions to improve governance, combat corruption, and address insecurity.
Senator Muntari Dandutse, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TetFund, also opposed the idea, emphasizing that the goal of the ongoing retreat was to address defects in the current constitution rather than revert to regionalism.
Southern Senators’ Perspective
On the other hand, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, representing Oyo North Senatorial District, supported the idea of returning to regional government.
He recalled how different regions of the country, such as the North with its groundnut pyramids and the South West with cocoa, thrived under regionalism. Buhari argued that the system could encourage regions to harness their resources for development.
Despite these differing opinions, Senate Leader Bamidele reiterated that regionalism was not on the table for the constitutional amendment process.