We will have to talk
by
Daily, the imperfections of the Constitution, manifest themselves. Because they are becoming legion, the attempt to paper over the cracks can only land us in more troubled waters and postpone the evil day for our country.
We have just been told that Lt. General Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), once Commanding Officer, 1 Division of Nigerian Army, once Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters; one time Chief of Army Staff and now the Minister of Defence has written a letter of caution to the National Assembly.
Danjuma was jittery that the law-makers were thinking of passing a law to introduce quota system into the Armed Forces. To do so, Danjuma wrote in a letter to Senate Committee on Defence, would be "dangerous and counter-productive". Naturally, one asks: So, it can be dangerous? Danjuma did not exactly say that for efficiency, merit should be the underpinning criterion but instead said attaining efficiency in duties has more to do with skill and not states of origin. Yet, the Constitution sets up a Federal Character Commission which is expected to enforce Federal Character in all Federal establishments. The Constitution goes further, the states and the local governments are expected to do the same in their services. The sponsor of the Bill is Senator Idris Abubakar. He must have his reasons for his action which does not seem to tally with the anxiety of the Minister of Defence. Idris, from the way he wants the command and operational structures of the Armed Forces to be disposed, thinks the interest he represents will thereby be served. Idris has an anxiety; it is an anxiety shared by those who want the Armed Forces to be restructured. It may not be in the line he is suggesting. The fear and the need have to do with the history of coups in this country and the disposition of people behind them. Because those who are prone to coup-making are not in the position to do so now, Idris wants a guarantee that no others would be in a position to do so. It is an entirely legitimate feeling. If there are two or more ways of doing something, a way must be found to synthesise the options. In this case, a fundamental problem, a conference of the nationalities is the best way to resolve it. There is the other problem of the tenure of Council Chairmen. The Senate has decided that Chairmen of local governments would have a four-year tenure. This decision has angered all the governors of the federal union. It is, they say, an invasion of their territory. The State Houses of Assembly have the Statutory power to pronounce on the matter. The Senate thinks it is its exclusive preserve. If both sides think differently, it can only be inferred that the Constitution is equivocal on the matter. A good constitution should not.
But even that is not the point. Local governments are the building blocks of the constituent states of the Federation. They, (States) therefore, have responsibility to and for them. But as deliberate accident from our military misadventure, the Centre of the Federal Union has appropriated them. The result has been the balkanization of the states. Yet, it was a political ploy to create areas of influence and tip the scale against some phantom opponents. States should create the local governments as they deem fit. To consolidate powers into their hands, the federal government has introduced the criteria of equality of states and number of local governments in revenue allocation. In other words, a miniscule state can be divided into four to take more allocation than one that is far bigger than it. The case of Lagos that has far more population than Kano has been a case in point. Jigawa was created from Kano with far more inordinately large number of local governments. Kano and Jigawa collect funds on two states and on more than double the number of local governments in Lagos. Those who clamour for the restructure of the country have this kind of anomaly in mind. This can only be solved by a conference of nationalities.
Resource control that has been the battle cry of Southerners is another one that clearly demonstrates not just an imperfection of the Constitution, but the injustice of it. This country did not start its independence in 1960 on the military criteria of revenue allocation. Much has been said and written about it to bear repeat. What is however clear is that we would have to settle that matter one day soon. Not in the law court, but in the political arena where it rightly belongs. The appropriate organ will be the conference of nationalities.
We have to talk willy-nilly.