SOUTH WEST APC CALLS FOR RESTRUCTURING

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE ZONAL PUBLIC MEETING ORGANIZED BY THE APC COMMITTEE ON TRUE FEDERALISM HELD AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, OYO STATE ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2017

PREAMBLE
The Zonal Public Meeting organized by the National Headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) drew participants from Oyo, Ogun and Lagos States. The attendees, who cut across all segments of the society, ranging from the political class, traditional institution, civil society organizations, trade unions, professional bodies, religious groups, students’ movement, socio-cultural organizations, among others, participated actively in the summit and presented memoranda stating their various positions on the diverse national issues as advertised by the Party.

In attendance at the meeting presided over by the Leader of the Team on True Federalism and Governor of Plateau State, Mr. Simeon Lalong, are the Governors of Oyo, Lagos and Ogun States, ably represented by Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, Oyo State Deputy Governor; Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State and Mr. Tolu Odebiyi, Chief of Staff to the Governor of Ogun State. Others include the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba LamidiOlayiwola Adeyemi III, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu AkanmuAdetunji, royal fathers from other towns and cities in the zone, a former Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sullivan Chime, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, Chief Akin Oke, Chief Tajudeen Lemboye, Cardinal James Odumbaku, Chief Iyiola Oladokun, Chief (Mrs.) Kemi Nelson, Hon. Olawale Osun, Chief Tajudeen Olusi, Alhaji Isiaka Alimi, Chief Deji Oshibogun, Pastor Benjamin Akanmu, Alhaji Kunle Sanni, Chief Mutiu Are and Mr. Sola Lawal, among others.

The fundamental issues are highlighted as follow:
(i) Creation/Merger of States
(ii) Derivation Principle
(iii) Devolution of Power
(iiii) Fiscal Federalism and Revenue Allocation
(v) Forms of Government
(vi) Independent Candidacy
(vii) Land Tenure System
(viii) Local Government Autonomy
(ix) Power Sharing and Rotation
(x) Resource Control
(xi) Types of Legislature

After extensive deliberations, below are the summary of the positions articulated in the memoranda submitted at the meeting:
(i) Creation/Merger of States
The majority view on the above subject is that the existing 36-state structure and the Federal Capital Territory should be retained and sustained.
(ii) Derivation Principle
Majority position is that 50 per cent of the revenue accruable from the resources in each state should be given back to such state.
(iii) Devolution of Power
That power is over-concentrated at the centre and therefore, more powers should be devolved to the constituent states of the federation.
(iiii) Fiscal Federalism and Revenue Allocation
While there is concensus on the need for a drastic review of the extant revenue allocation formula in view of the constituent states owing to the expected devolution of power, there is, however, a divergence of opinions on the percentage to be allocated to the benefitting tiers of government.
(v) Forms of Government
Opinions vary on the forms of government to be adopted. While some argue that the current Presidential System be retained with slight modifications, others advocate a revert to a Parliamentary System as practised in the First Republic.
(vi) Independent Candidacy
Although most opinions favour the introduction of independency candidacy which they described as a good innovation, however, they caution that its adoption could be unwieldy, given the low literacy level and political consciousness of the Nigerian electorate.
(vii) Land Tenure System
That the extant Land Use Act should be repealed so that mineral deposit in any state by Nature should belong to that territory while the state where such is found pays royalty to the Federal Government as is done in most advanced federal democracy.
(viii) Local Government Autonomy
Except for the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) virtually all other memoranda advocate a two-tier federal arrangement, thereby putting local governments under the control of the states for them (states) to determine whatever number of local government councils they desire for necessary development.
(ix) Power Sharing and Rotation
That the extant provisions of the Federal Character Principle are sufficient, but with a caveat that the wide gap between intents and actual practices should be taken care of.
(x) Resource Control
That each state should be in control of the mineral deposit found in their respective domains and pay royalty to the Federal Government on agreed terms.
(xi) Types of Legislature
Retention of the current bi-cameral legislative system is canvassed by the majority opinions but with a slight modification to make it part-time with members collecting only sitting allowances as deemed appropriate.