Nigeria’s federal system of government is grossly problematic. It is characterized by an inordinate concentration of powers and fiscal resources in the central government. Not only is this centralist division of powers antithetical to the idea of federalism, it also fosters the dictatorship of the central government vis a vis the other levels of government. Furthermore, it indirectly entrenches the domination of the minority ethnic groups by the larger ones. So centralized is Nigeria’s ‘federal’ arrangement that it is, perhaps, better described as a unitary contraption designed to perpetually establish the hegemony of the central government. As we shall later see in this thesis, the existing division of powers among the levels of government in Nigeria has been the source of protracted acrimony, conflict, and rancour threatening to tear the federation apart. Through theoretical analysis, this thesis examines the suitability of the existing power allocation structure for a country like Nigeria. The thesis argues that the ethnically diverse character of the Nigerian federation and the age-long clamour for autonomy by the constituent units of the federation make the existing division of powers absolutely untenable and unsuitable for Nigeria. This thesis thus proposes a complete abrogation of the existing constitutional framework for the division of powers among the levels of government in Nigeria, and its replacement with a restructured federal framework that is popularly designed by the Nigerian people and cognizant of the country’s diversity. Further to this, the thesis advocates a division of powers that entrenches state and local government autonomy without compromising the unity of the Nigerian federation. It is argued that only a framework such as this will conduce to the federation’s peace and stability, and help to stem the secessionist tide currently rocking the country.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:752505 |
| Date | January 2018 |
| Creators | Kunuji, Oluwole Anthony |
| Publisher | University of Warwick |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/104209/ |
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