5th October, 2011
The Deputy Chief Whip of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rotimi Abiru, in this interview with Assembly Matters, speaks on solutions to the problems facing Nigeria
Many Nigerians are calling for disintegration as a solution to our problems. What is your view about this?
The population of Nigeria should be used as an advantage and not otherwise because with the population, the country has a large market which will always interest investors and that is if infrastructure are put right and power is made available. We just have to be tolerant with each other at this point in time. This does not mean we should not sit down to discuss further about our unity in the light of our recent experience. The Boko Haram sect may have been there before now, they came out with force immediately after the elections. The way Nigeria voted during that elections showed that we need to be very careful. The electorate actually voted along ethnic lines and this may not be too good for us as a nation. Now, there are inter-marriages; so what happens if we decide to break up?
These said, I want to add that the Nigerian constitution has not really helped us. That document needs to be re-examined. The constitution has prescribed a federal structure for Nigeria, but in my opinion, what we have is a presidential/unitary system of government. The principle of fiscal federalism should be imbibed so that every region of the country could develop at its own pace. We should stop robbing Peter to pay Paul. It should be forbidden to have a state which forbids the intake of alcohol or its sales and distribution to share from its proceeds. This is why I said we need to practise true federalism. I donâ€
A committee has been set up by the National Assembly to review the constitution…
The move to review the constitution is a tailor-made move. It should be critically looked into with a view to expunging the grey areas. For example, what is the reason for listing the local governments in the constitution when in actual fact it is the duty of the state to create local governments? That is what we are facing in Lagos state right now. There should be a transparent, non-biased constituent assembly that would really tear the present constitution apart instead of distracting the lawmakers at the National Assembly with it.
What is your view concerning recent statements about the state of the nation by President Goodluck Jonathan?
Honestly, Iâ€
The president must rethink and know if he wants to rule us. He should be firm.
What is there to celebrate 51 years after independence?
Iâ€