Constitution review: Southern Senators, Reps oppose northern govs

Posted by admin Constitution, House, Legislature, Senate Sunday, August 5th, 2012

Senators and members of the House of Representatives of southern extraction have kicked against the recent proposals by the governors of the 19 northern states.

Ahead of the review of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly, the governors last month opposed the creation of state police and the inclusion of the six geo-political zones in the constitution.

They also demanded the abrogation of the offshore/onshore dichotomy, the derivation principle which allows oil-producing states to retain 13 per cent of the total revenue derived from exploration of mineral resources.

The oil-producing states of the South-South are the biggest beneficiaries of derivation.

The position of the governors is likely to set the tone of debate on these contentious issues by members of the National Assembly during the constitutional amendment process.

Already, the Northern Governors’ Forum has hinted that it will communicate its position on these issues to lawmakers from the North to serve as a guide during the review process.

Incidentally, the position of the 19 governors came on the heels of a disclosure by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, who said the 36 governors agreed that state police was long overdue.

However, senators and members of the House from the South, particularly the South-South, have roundly opposed the 19 northern governors, saying as a country practising federalism, Nigeria cannot shy away from state police, devolution of powers and the rights of the federating units to have some control over their economic well-being.

The Majority Leader of the Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN); the Deputy Leader of the House, Mr. Leo Ogor; the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules/Business, Mr. Ita Enang; and the Chairman, House Committee on Local Content, Mr. Asita Honourable, among others kicked against northern governors when they spoke with SUNDAY PUNCH.

Ndoma-Egba said the premise of the northern governors was faulty.

According to him, the principle of derivation for example, relates not only to crude oil, but other mineral resources from which states can also derive additional revenues.

He argued, “If we have to look at it only on the basis of crude oil, then we have missed the point.

“Every state is richly endowed with mineral resources and if they can only look inwards, such calls will not be made at this time.”

Ogor admitted that the country was overdue for state police and recognition for the six geo-political zones in the constitution.

“So, in the final analysis, it is not what the northern governors want that matters, but rather what the majority of Nigerians ask us to do as legislators.”

“I am convinced that state police will check some of the security challenges we face in the country today.

“I am for derivation any day and there is nothing wrong with having the six geopolitical zones in the constitution.”

Enang attributed the call for abrogation of derivation principle to the fact that many states had abandoned the exploitation of the mineral resources in their domains.

“This will not be even in the interest of the country. Don’t forget this was a negotiated position to bring about fairness in the distribution of resources in the country.

“Mineral resources abound in every state of the country. That the states have failed to harness these vast resources is the reason we are getting these kinds of call”, he added.

On state police, Enang said the northern governors could not be right because the present federal police lacked the capacity to police the entire federation effectively.

He said, “I believe it is necessary that we have state police since it has become clear that the federal police will not be able to police everywhere.

“We admit there are inherent dangers just like we have in other spheres, but we should have state police subject to the supervision of the federal government.”

Another member of the Senate, George Sekibo, described the posture of the northern governors as an exercise of democratic rights and freedom of expression.

He, however, observed that the offshore/onshore dichotomy principle had its roots in international law that should not be disputed.

“We can’t stop anybody from talking. It is a democracy. Let them say what they want. We hope that it comes to the National Assembly, then we will decide,” he stated.

On state police, Sekibo said the governors were already spending so much on the federal police, adding that the money spent on the federal police would be enough to run a state police.

He added, “I support state police and derivation formula since our democracy is modelled after that of America.

“People in the community know more about criminals than outsiders and they can do better in crime prevention.

“The present arrangement is such that policemen are like strangers, who don’t know much about the communities they serve.

“State police is part of true federalism. If the northern leaders don’t want it now, one day it will come to pass.

“The way Nigeria is structured today is not working. Resources must not continue to come from the centre because that is what is responsible for the laziness we see everywhere.

“Agriculture alone can transform Nigeria , but what the governors prefer is to gather every month and share resources from crude oil sales; resources from only one zone in the country.

“We need to unbundle Nigeria; let us not play politics with this issue.”

Ironically, some senators from the Middle-Belt are also not happy with the northern governors for their rejection of the recognition of six geopolitical zones in the constitution.

Senator Victor Lar specifically sought the recognition of the Middle-Belt and not North-Central as it is called today.

He noted that with the present power sharing arrangement of North and South, the Middle-Belt had become a disadvantaged minority.

Lar added, “We will be more comfortable in a Middle-Belt Zone. This is because in the present arrangement, we are a minority.”

He also opposed the governors on state police, saying “the country is ripe for state police.”

-via Punchwp_posts