By Polycarp Onwubiko
The Hon members of Anambra State House of Assembly have done what they were expected to do by debating on the establishment of Anambra State independent electoral Commission ANSIEC. Congratulations for the enervating assignment. However, my contribution is for the States House of Assembly in the country.
Fact
remains that the 1999 Contraption referred to as "Federal
Constitution" is in all ramifications a UNITARY CONSTITUTION Decreed by
the unelected group of people called "Military Regime".
It was
unfortunate that Nigerian lack memory or easily forget historical events
ostensibly because of the monstrousities and abominable grandstanding of those
who manipulated their way into the Executive and Legislative Arms of
government. Somebody few days ago reminded Nigerians that there had NEVER been
free and fair elections in Nigeria (let us start from 1999 when the Military
jackboots handed over power to the civil authorities.
If
Nigeria enlightened people value memory, they would have called for the lifting
of the SUSPENSION OF THE REPUBLICAN CONSTITUTION which the Military did. In
other words, the Military Junta never destroyed the Realistic Federal
Constitution mediated or fashioned by the representatives of ethnic
nationalities in series of Constituent Assembly held both in Nigeria and
Britain while the country was under the British tutelage.
All
over the world, the original Federal Constitution was made by the selected
representatives of ethnic nationalities or already existing entities whereby
they would table what each of them want in other to ensure equity, fairness,
and justice in the running of the country either as a FEDERATION OR
CON-FEDERATION. The essence is to incorporate the respective values and
worldview of the ethnic nationalities and afford them a measure of independence
in running their affairs in addition to exploring and exploiting the natural
and mineral resources within their jurisdiction ostensibly to create wealth,
prosperity and uplift the living standard of their people based on their value
orientation and vision of life and their children.
But
what did Nigerians observed in that contraption referred to as the 1999
Constitution? It was a horrendous articulation of Unitary principles ostensibly
geared towards pandering to the inanities, preferences and dream Islamization
agenda of the supposed "Northern Political Emirate Establishment and
Fulani Feudal Oligarchy" who covertly guided the military Junta in
crafting that useless meta-legal document foisted on the helpless Nigeria
people as the "Federal Constitution".
The
world over, Federal Constitution has TWO TIERS OF GOVERNMENT, needless to
mention the suspended Republican Constitution of Nigeria which had TWO TIERS OF
GOVERNMENT viz: The Federal Government, and the Regional Governments.
The
issue of LOCAL ADMINISTRATION (now deceptively tagged Local government council
courtesy of the military autocrats self calculations covertly prodded by the
Fulani Feudal Oligarchy to funnel humongous funds from the monthly Statutory
allocation sharing formula to the North through the illegally created Local
government council as a THIRD TIER OF GOVERNMENT contrary to the principles in
any Federal Constitution the world over.
Of
course, the military autocrats under the covert agenda of the "Northern
Political Emirate Establishment" did not care to seek the opinion of the
people from the South while creating a THIRD TIER OF GOVERNMENT which is a
purely Constitutional matter under a Democratically elected Government.
The
military empaneled the so-called "1976 Dasuki Local Government Reform
Commission" to advise or produce a Report on how to create Local
government council as a THIRD TIER OF GOVERNMENT.
I knew
everything about the shenanigans because I started my civil service career in
Enugu that year.
The
next despicable step was to create surplus local government councils in the
North without a corresponding number in the South. For instance, Lagos and Kano
states had 20 local government councils but more 20 local government councils
were created in Kano state while Lagos state remained with 20 local government
councils. To add salt to injury, the lopsided creation of States by the
Military junta, Created surplus states in the North. Consequently, Jigawa state
was carved out of Kano state and 40 local government councils were created in
the newly created Jigawa state. Of course who are you to challenge the military
autocrats?
Again
in furtherance of the devious agenda to emasculated and marginalize the South,
the Local government council were used by the military autocrats to carve out
"Federal Constituencies". The deft strategy was that when the
civilian government would take over, the National Assembly would have majority
members from the North going by the surplus local government councils in the
North.
For
instance, the number of local government councils in Kano state and Jigawa
state are more than the local government councils in the entire Southeast
Geopolitical zone. Then you can imagine the quantum of monthly Statutory
Revenue Allocation funneled to the local government councils in the North
compared to the local government councils in the Southeast Geopolitical zone.
The
point I have strenuously been making is that if the State Governments in the
southern part of the country have retentive memory, they would have shunned the
federal government's 'command' to establish State Independent Electoral
Commission to conduct local government councils election otherwise the monthly
Statutory Revenue Share to the local government councils would be seized by the
Federal Government. It does not need going to the Law Court because the 1999
Constitution IS NOT A FEDERAL CONSTITUTION and it has NOT TWO TIERS OF
GOVERNMENT. Federal Constitution the world over has TWO TIERS OF GOVERNMENT
even Nigerian's Republican Constitution which was SUSPENDED has TWO TIERS OF
GOVERNMENT.
By
Polycarp Onwubiko JP Media Commentator Awka Anambra State.
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