Governors from the South-West have championed the urgent need for a constitutional overhaul that would usher in true federalism and the establishment of state policing.
Governors Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo, Ademola Adeleke of Osun, and Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti made the call at the South-West Centre B Public Hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review in Akure.
The governors argued that the nation’s current centralised police structure is proving unsustainable in the face of escalating insecurity.
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Aiyedatiwa called for a constitutional amendment to permit the creation of state police forces.
He cited the demonstrable success of the Amotekun Corps in the state regarding community policing, crime deterrence, and intelligence gathering as evidence of its viability.
Beyond security, he also pressed for a revised revenue allocation formula, proposing that states should receive a minimum of 50% of the federation’s revenue.
“Ondo State aligns with the progressive aspirations of the South-West Geo-political Zone in advocating for true federalism that reflects socio-political, cultural and economic realities of the federating units,” Aiyedatiwa stated.
He added that this shift would align with genuine fiscal federalism, granting states full autonomy over their resources and revenues, with a suggested remittance of around 40% to the Federal Government.
Furthermore, Aiyedatiwa proposed amending Section 44(3) of the Constitution to transfer control over minerals, mineral oils, and natural gas from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List.
This change, he explained, would empower state governments to effectively harness their mineral wealth for local development, addressing current challenges where states suffer from mining activities (including illegal mining) due to limited oversight.
While the state supports the creation of new states where desired, Aiyedatiwa opposed any proposals to cede portions of Ondo territory to new or existing states.
He also advocated for the constitutional recognition of additional local governments within the state, drawing parallels with the proposed inclusion of Lagos State’s Local Development Council Areas (LCDAs) as full-fledged Local Government Areas.
He called for the 33 functional LCDAs in Ondo State to be similarly recognised in the First Schedule of the Constitution.
Representing Adeleke, Osun State Deputy Governor Kolawole Adeusi presented the state’s position paper, highlighting the critical need for comprehensive electoral reform.
He particularly emphasised the importance of reducing the exorbitant cost of conducting elections in Nigeria and advocated strongly for the adoption of electronic voting.
“The cost of governance is too high. Make it less attractive so that it doesn’t become a matter of life and death,” Adeusi said, also stressing the significance of decentralising government functions.
Oyebanji, through his Attorney General Dayo Apata, echoed Ondo’s call for the amendment of Section 44(3) to move control of mineral resources from the Exclusive to the Concurrent Legislative List, allowing states greater control over their natural endowments.
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Earlier in the proceedings, James Faleke, Chairman of the South-West Centre B (Ondo, Osun, Ekiti) of the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review, assured attendees that the committee’s next steps would fully align with the aspirations of the Nigerian people.
He pledged that all submitted position papers would be meticulously scrutinised for the ultimate betterment of the country.
The public hearing also saw various labour unions, paramilitary organisations, traditional institutions, and other stakeholders presenting their respective position papers to the committee.
