Agbakoba Criticizes State Creation in South-East, Advocates for Regional Governance
In a recent interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, expressed strong opposition to the ongoing agitation for the creation of additional states in the South-East region. Instead, Agbakoba advocates for a return to regional governments, suggesting that this approach would better address the region’s developmental challenges.
Current Agitation for State Creation
The House of Representatives recently passed for a second reading a bill proposing the creation of Etiti State from parts of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states in the South-East geopolitical zone. The bill, sponsored by lawmakers including Godwin Ogah, Miriam Onuoha, Kama Nkemkama, Princess Nnabuife, and Anayo Onwuegbu, aims to promote balanced regional development and effective governance. Supporters argue that the new state would respond to the aspirations of the people in the South-East, aligning with principles of equity and inclusivity.
Similarly, there are calls for the creation of Anioma State from parts of the South-South and South-East regions. Senator Ned Nwoko (PDP-Delta North) argues that this would address the marginalization of the South-East geopolitical zone.
Agbakoba’s Counterargument
Despite these efforts, Dr. Agbakoba believes that creating more states is not the solution. He argues that the primary motivation behind these agitations is the distribution of federal allocation, as more states would mean more revenue for the region. However, he cautions that this approach is short-sighted and does not address the underlying issues of development.
Agbakoba states, “This agitation arises because the federal allocation flows based on the number of states. So the fact that the South-East has only five states means to them that they are losing revenue. This is an emotional point of their agitation. However, from a pragmatic developmental point of view, even if you create a sixth state, will this new state, in addition to the existing 36, lead us towards development? Will it reverse the hunger, insecurity, poverty, and unemployment in the land? Absolutely not.”
The Case for Regionalism
Agbakoba argues that most of the 36 states in Nigeria are economically unviable and incapable of fostering infrastructural development or even paying the proposed minimum wage. He believes that state creation, especially in the current harsh economic climate, would only increase the cost of governance without delivering the desired developmental outcomes.
“State creation at this present harsh economic period will, no doubt, lead to an increase in the number of National Assembly members, ministers, local governments, and others, which would further increase the cost of governance in the country. This is coming at a time when most Nigerians are starving due to a rise in food prices. Insurgents, bandits, and terrorists are abducting people for ransom in various states of the country,” Agbakoba notes.
A Return to Regional Governments
Instead of creating more states, Agbakoba advocates for a return to regionalism. He suggests collapsing the current 36 states into six to eight regions or geopolitical zones, each governed by a regional leader. This, he believes, would promote more efficient governance and development.
“Therefore, the National Assembly should return the country to regionalism by collapsing the 36 states into six to eight regions or geopolitical zones, each of which will have a leader. This means that the present Nigeria 1999 Constitution would need to be amended or a new one written to accommodate this proposal,” Agbakoba explains. He argues that a new constitution has become imperative due to the evolving political realities in the country.
Historical Context
Agbakoba points to Nigeria’s history of regional governments, which he believes were more successful. He recalls that regional governments, under leaders like Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the South-West, Chief Michael Okpara in the South-East, and Ahmadu Bello in the North, managed to run successfully and foster development.
“Since Nigeria left the modernity of regionalism, the states have been unviable, apart from Lagos and Rivers,” Agbakoba observes. He suggests that revisiting this model could provide a more sustainable path to development for the entire nation, including the South-East region.
While the push for state creation in the South-East aims to address perceived marginalization and enhance development, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba’s perspective offers a compelling argument for reconsidering this approach. By advocating for a return to regional governance, Agbakoba highlights the need for structural changes that go beyond state creation, aiming for a more sustainable and effective solution to Nigeria’s developmental challenges.
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