A bill seeking to reintroduce the regional system of government in Nigeria is set to be transmitted to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
It is expected to reach the president next week, according to sources.
This comes after the House of Representatives last week disowned the draft bill, which had circulated widely on the internet.
The bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to substitute the annexure to Decree 24 of 1999 with a new governance model for the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, aims to replace the current constitution with a new governance model based on federal and regional governments.
The proposed legislation seeks to address the perceived flaws in the current constitution, which was imposed by the military without the people’s consent.
The preamble of the bill reads, “Whereas Nigeria, its peoples and government have been governed under Decree 24 of 1999 that was handed down by the then military government without the express consent of the people despite the preamble of ‘We, the people.’ Whereas the said Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) is not autochthonous as it does not evolve from the deliberations and consensus of the Nigerian People; whereas the peoples of Nigeria now desire and effectively demand for a change to a constitution based on federal/regional system of government.”
The bill proposes that the federal and regional governments operate within the provisions of the new constitution, with the ethnic blocs within states having the discretion to aggregate or disaggregate as provinces, divisions, and districts, while being in control of their affairs without interference.
Following enquiries, the House of Representatives had earlier disowned the bill, with the House spokesman, Akin Rotimi, and the Chairman, Rules and Business, Francis Waive, stating that the proposed legislation was not before the committee for deliberation.
The Punch however reports that the drafter of the private bill, Dr. Akin Fapohunda, has chosen to send the proposed law to President Tinubu, who may in turn present it to the parliament as an executive bill.
Dr. Fapohunda had earlier hinted at his intention to interface with members of the National Assembly ahead of the transmission of the bill to the parliament.
He has now decided to take the bill directly to the President, who may use his executive powers to push the legislation forward.