Senators have been divided over renewed calls for a return to the regional system of government as the National Assembly begins another process of review of the 1999 Constitution.
Speaking to journalists as the Senate Adhoc Committee on Constitution Review ended its two-day retreat in Kano, some Senators spoke in favour of regionalism as a panacea to the problems in the country while others vehemently kicked against it.
Senate leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central; Senator Abdul Ningi, PDP, Bauchi Central, and and Senator Muntari Dandutse, APC, Katsina South kicked against return to Regionalism, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, APC, Oyo North was fully in support.
The Senators spoke at the event, jointly organised by the Senate Committee on Constitution Review in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC).
The Senate leader cautioned that no legislative action should be encouraged on the issue of regionalism so that it does not become an exercise in futility, just as he said that if it must come up, the political stakeholders, the civil society, as well as other stakeholders in the country, would have to debate on it and come to a conclusion.
He said going back to regional form of governance is something that will go beyond a bill being sponsored, either as a parliament member bill or as an executive bill adding that it is also not something that you sit down in a public hearing room and organize a public hearing to take a decision on.
He said that the question of whether or not to go back to Regionalism for now, can only remain within what he termed, “the realm of debate”.
