By Clinton Ogaga, WARRI
An advocacy group, Non Violence Campaign in Nigeria (NCIN) has called for true federalism in the country as it lamented the corruption rate in the country.
NCIN Coordinator, Oweikeme Johnny Peter, in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday in Warri, Delta State, said corruption in the government system and amongst individuals was negatively thwarting the growth and stability of Nigeria.
“The only solution to Nigeria increasing problems is true federalism, a system by which democracy operates. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should think in this direction.
“True Federalism is a perfect system that gives the states the autonomous rights to control their resources and pay an agreed percentage to the central authority. And the dividends of the states must not be below fifty percent which will allow democracy to operate freely to the local government level,” Peter explained.
He added that non-violent approach in conflicts resolution and economic liberation is a legal means of fighting the higher authorities within the ambits of the law.
“The likes of Rev Martin Luther king Jr and Nelson Mandela used these philosophies in their times. Our research had revealed that Nigeria is not operating on the principles of democracy but on unitary system of government,” he said.
He said the inability of citizens to identify the root cause of the nation’s problems and demand for fundamental human rights leads to the economic and security challenges being faced in the country.
He noted that these are already threatening the peaceful coexistence of the country which could spur civil conflict if not properly addressed.
“Indeed Nigeria is highly blessed with natural resources deposited in all over the country, but out of greed and selfishness, the leaders decide to enslave the masses with the use of an illegal constitutions at the early stage of her independence,” he said.
The group said it disagreed that Nigeria is a democratic country, saying the features of democracy are totally absent in the system of government.
“The injustice in the society signifies the negative application of the laws to run the affairs of the society. This is the main reason why Nigerians are suffering because the laws are been applied wrongly,” he said.
The group further noted that after the abolishment of slavery, the British approved democracy to Africans as the best system of government to allow the expression of the fundamental human rights.
The body then advocated that states with more population should get sixty (60) percent considering that the central authority is made up of representatives from the various states that makes up the country.
He said the percentage given to them is for the management of affairs such states to regulate the country’s economy.
It further asserted that Nigeria is operating a unitary system of government in pretense of democracy.
NCIN believes that in the absence of true federalism / resource control and decentralization, there shall be no solution to the Nigeria’s economy and security challenges.
