Federalism And Political Restructuring In Nigeria

Twenty essays by four generations of Nigerian scholars are included in this volume, the first to examine the historical, political, economic and comparative dimensions of attempts by the military to restructure the Nigerian federation. Evidence is accumulated in support of the book's central thesis that autocratic rule is antipathetic to the sustenance of genuine federal practice, and that federal restructuring initiated under the tight control of repressive governments cannot but lead to a situation in which federalism is assaulted, if not dismantled. It is argued that, in such a context, the vending of a federal doctrine becomes more or less an exercise in the propagation of false consciousness in the service of power - portraying a picture of divided power to hide the reality of undivided power.

Seminar paper from the year 2022 in the subject Organisation and administration - Public administration, , course: INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS, language: English, abstract: This paper assesses Nigeria’s inter-governmental relations practice in its present context and the necessity for its restructuring. The paper proposes that the Nigeria’s federal structure is built on faulty foundation which is the 1999 constitution that was bequeathed by the Retd Gen. Abdulsalami led military junta, hence the persistent calls for a national sovereign conference, zoning of key political offices in the country, including the Presidency and currently the restructuring of the federal structure for socio-political stability. This paper, which is essentially historical and descriptive in nature, utilizes data drawn mainly from secondary sources and analyzed using content analysis. The paper discovers that Nigeria’s federalism has failed to meet the requirements as prescribed by K. C. Wheare, as so much power is concentrated at the federal level while the state and local governments continue to exist as appendages which is contrary to the spirit of true federalism.

Nigerians embraced federalism as a way of managing the conflicts and suspicions among the various constituent nationalities that make up the Nigerian state. These fears and suspicions had led to the emergence of aggressive political and economic competitions along ethno-regional lines. Beginning from 1954, the unitary colonial state saw itself being gradually federalized as it had to contend with powerful ethno-regional pressures in the run-up to independence in 1960. Following the military coup of 1966, which ushered in a prolonged period of military rule, the various military regimes created a very centralized federal system while they ruled. By 1999 however, Nigerians had become disenchanted with the way the federal system was operated in the country, with echoes of the strident calls for a national conference to re-assess the system and the way it was operated reverberating throughout the entire length and breadth of the country.

This book analyzes the concept “true federalism” to examine whether there are definable dimensions of power-sharing that make ‘true federalism.’ The author takes a critical look at dimensions on political restructuring in Nigeria, which have been termed “true federalism.” The work fills a significant gap in the existing literature on the theory and practice of federalism. The project will be useful to the students and professors of African Studies, political science, Nigeria federalism, public administration and policy. Additionally, the monograph will be interesting to the general public who seek to know more about contemporary issues in Nigeria.

This edited collection is the product of a National Research Working Group (NRWG) established by Said Adejumobi and supported by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA). It analyzes the progress made in Nigeria since the return to democratic rule in 1999 and the prospects of democratic consolidation in the country.

FOREWORD by Larry Diamond