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• Fomer Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar (right); Mimiko; Obi and Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido at the book presentation... yesterday•’The Sun presents Nigeria Golden Book
Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko and his Anambra State counterpart Mr. Peter Obi, yesterday asked the Federal Government to allow Nigerians to discuss whether they want true federalism or not.
Obi also explained why the governors are opposed to the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF)
The two governors said the continuing imbalance in the operation of the Federal system of government has become a threat to good governance and enduring democracy.
The governors spoke at the presentation of the ‘Nigeria Golden Book’ by The Sun Publishing Ltd. in Abuja.
In his keynote address, Mimiko said the present scenario of overbearing centre and weak federating units cannot augur well for democracy in Nigeria.
To correct the imbalances, he asked President Goodluck Jonathan to rise up to the occasion and go beyond the ‘lukewarm’ attitudes of past leaders and tackle squarely true federalism.
According to him, the starting point is a genuine review of the 1999 Constitution and putting in place a mechanism that will ensure genuine participation of all stakeholders in the process.
He said: “Today there is an overbearing centre, with beggarly and weak federating units. We agree that this can never augur well for comprehensive and sustainable good governance and enduring democracy.
“We require purposeful leadership to reverse this situation and President Goodluck Jonathan should brace up to this challenge as a departure from the lukewarm attitude of previous leaders to the issue of true federalism. History beckons.”
On security, he said: “Today, we run a centralised security system that impedes the gathering of intelligence and control of crime. It is a known fact that each society has a way of handling its deviants and miscreants.”
“It is through the institutionalisation of local, community and communal means of apprehending and managing such that true security could be guaranteed. Only the review of the Constitution to allow the establishment of state police can move us at the right speed in combating crimes.
He maintained that do-or-die approach to election and electoral matters in Nigeria has resulted in proliferation of light arms and militarisation of the civil society.
“What must be said, though in passing, is that even Labour unions have become affected by the militaristic approach to issues. Such use of language as ‘with immediate effect,’ ‘now or never,’ ‘act now or face the consequence’ and others like them have found their ways into the lexicon of labour relations and actions such that issues that could be resolved easily have become points on which strike actions have been hinged.
“The emergence of ethnic militias and of recent religious groups with either expansionist or disintegrative agenda can also be traced to the disposition of political elite to violence. Above all, the people themselves are fast becoming so alienated from their own governance that they see government as an outsider to be milked and pillaged. Those who steal barefacedly are celebrated as heroes in many instances and rewarded with chieftaincy titles in others.”
Obi said Nigerians must be allowed to discuss whether they want true federalism or not.
He also explained why governors are opposed to the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF).
The governor said the governors have fears that the funds might either be mismanaged or it might disappear one day.
Obi said: “Nobody can build this country for us except we do it. I agree entirely that we need to talk. That is the only way we can build a nation.
We never sat anywhere to make this Constitution, it was foisted on us. Not that we, the people, drafted the Constitution, somebody handed it over to us and we are just doing amendments.
“When we talk about true federalism, it is critical. We are either a Federation or not. Let us state where we are and once we state it, people will have respect for us.
“There are so many issues to talk about. We have issues of state creation, Sovereign Wealth Fund, Joint Account, and so on.
“I don’t think people are against SWF. People get apprehensive because before you know it, the SWF becomes another thing or we start looking for it. It is the issue of trust. So, if we are sure, we will support.
“I believe there is need to discuss. This country has been abused enough. And the society we abuse today will take its revenge tomorrow. So, let us talk.
“You say we are a Federation. While I sit in Anambra State, somebody will give an order to me on what to do. Take the issue of the N18, 000 minimum wage; it is not linked to productivity or GDP.
“In many countries, they don’t talk of minimum wage. There is no minimum wage in China, Malaysia or even America where we copied our presidential system of government we are now using.
“Each state sets its wage structure in America. The budget of New York is over $200b; the budget of California is over $300b.
“Wage is not a buffet, it is ala carte. We are not against increase in wage; we are only saying that in doing it, certain things must be taken into consideration based on the economy of the state. There are states in Nigeria earning more than the whole states in the Southeast.
“I paid the minimum wage out of pain. I am now using 75 per cent of the resources of the state to service 15,000 workers whereas Anambra State has about five million people.”
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