Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), at the weekend insisted that the South must produce Nigeria’s next president of even as he declared that there is no going back on the popular and justifiable demand of the political establishment, groups and people in the southern part of the country for power shift to the South after the eight year tenure incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, a Northerner.
Akeredolu, who is the chairman of the Southern Governors Forum and also that of the South West Governors Forum, spoke as a Guest Lecturer at the 45th Convocation ceremony and 60th anniversary of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, where he said that a post independence Nigeria of over 250 ethnic groups dominated unjustly by one or two could not work.
In the Convocation Lecture which he delivered and was titled: “When Is A Nation? Exploring The Socio-Political Crises In Post Independence Nigeria,” he said: “We must rotate. We are determined and we will give it all it takes. Mr. Vice President here is a Professor of law and he is a constitutional expert. I am sure he will agree with me that power is over centralised at the centre.
“The over centralisation of authority at the centre is at the root of the current crises in the country. No serious foundation for development can be laid on the fertile ground of mutual suspicion by the ethnic nationalities which form the country.
“No amount of coercion can pacify agitations for equity and justice in a country where the basic law militates against development such as the aberrant document known as 1999 constitution.”
According to him, “the current experimentation with six geo-political zones should be sustained to hasten the process of real integration among the diverse groups in the country.
“The federal judiciary should take care of issues in the Exclusive Legislative List as was the case. This geo-political should be allowed to take charge of economic activities in its jurisdiction and pay taxes to the Federal Government as appropriate.
“Our dear country would have solved most of the current problems if these humble submissions are taken seriously,” Akeredolu added.
Calling for an urgent structural solution to douse ethnic agitations in the country, he said that for equity and justice in the country, most of the items on the Exclusive Legislative List, as reinforced by Section 251 of the 1999 Constitution, must be amended and moved to the Residual and Concurrent List.
Also in attendance at the event were the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo; Osun State governor, Gboyega Oyetola and his deputy; Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; Founder of Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo; members of diplomatic corps; Vice Chancellors from other sister Universities; and traditional rulers, among other eminent personalities.
At the ceremony, the Ooni of Ife and Ade-Ojo were conferred with Doctor of Letters and Doctor of Business Administration (Honoris Causa) respectively, by the University.
Akeredolu stressed that Nigeria must return to the path of rectitude where all ethnic nationalities are given enough space to soar as far as their ingenuity can take, insisting that Items such as education, health care, judiciary, police, prison services and resource control should be on the Concurrent List.
He maintained that the Federal Government should divest itself off the too much burdens and allow the component units to flower, adding that states should control their resources and maintain their internal security while the Federal Government coordinate and not take over.
The Governor further said the arrogant posturing that the unity of the country is not negotiable must be jettisoned for a more humble and intelligent response to natural agitations against discontent.
He lamented that the states are almost entirely dependent on hand-outs from the Federal Government, saying no state is empowered to take independent decisions for the benefit of its people.
His words: “Approvals must come from the centre on virtually everything. This Constitution vests all the lands in a State in the State Governor who holds same in trust for the people. The incessant attacks on farmers by criminal herders, who destroy the crops of these long suffering downtrodden members of the society, expose the impotence of State Governors.
“Strange elements have been invading states to prospect for mineral resources without recourse to the authorities. Farmlands have been destroyed and the people are constantly exposed to ecological disasters to assuage greed.
“Unscrupulous elements grant prospecting licenses to people who move into lands with marauders. The security of these States is compromised, heavily. This Constitution also provides for “Federal Character” for “National Cake Sharing”. There is a Commission which oversees the sharing of offices and other spoils of politics among the major ethnic groups.
“This manifest injustice is promoted as care for equity. In the same breath, the same document is silent on rotation of offices to complete the tragicomedy. Federal Character is good for as long as it affords certain persons the opportunity to benefit from the sacrifice of merit on the altar of mediocrity.”
The Governor, who identified adoption of a common language acceptable to all the ethnic nationalities as a medium of communication as one of the features of a Nation, insisted that power must be rotated between the North and South.
He said he would be happy to see a southerner emerge the President of the country in 2023.
Akeredolu also condemned the current situation in the country which ensures that emphasis is on revenue allocation and not generation.
He said: “Some states are in court to ask the Federal Inland Revenue Services, an agency of the Federal Government to hands off the collection of sales taxes as this duty rests with the states.
“The Federal Government, through the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, is asking all States to “remit” Stamp Duty, tax collected on contracts awarded by State Governments, to it.
“We will ask to be apprised of the justification for this latest onslaught. The Federal Government also wishes to take over “Inland Water ways”, whatever that means. Our fishermen will soon need licences to fish from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources”
The Governor who contended that the six geo-political zones in the country should be sustained to hasten the process of real integration among the diverse groups, also added that the group-political zones should be free to determine their laws and the application, as well as design their own curriculum of education to meet peculiar challenges.
“This geo-political should be allowed to take charge of economic activities in its jurisdiction and pay taxes to the Federal Government as appropriate. It should take-over most of the roads tagged “Federal”, repair and toll same, if necessary”, the Governor stressed.
In his own speech, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo saluted Akeredolu for his thoughtful lecture, noting that the Governor has given much to ponder and reflect upon.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, appreciated Akeredolu for the support he has been giving to the University, his Alma Mater, and for accepting to deliver the Convocation Lecture.
He said the University is proud of the Governor’s fearless approach to issues, commitment and achievements, describing him as a worthy alumnus of the institution.
