Governors from the Southwest region on Friday strongly advocated for true federalism, state police, and constitutional reforms during the South-West Centre B Public Hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review held in Akure, Ondo State.
Governors Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), and Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti) emphasized the urgent need to restructure Nigeria’s federal system, arguing that the current centralised policing and revenue allocation frameworks are outdated and ineffective, particularly in addressing rising insecurity.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, in his presentation, called for a constitutional amendment to establish state police, citing the operational success of the Amotekun Corps in local intelligence gathering and community security. He also demanded a review of the revenue allocation formula, proposing that states should retain at least 50% of revenue derived from the federation.
“Ondo State aligns with the progressive aspirations of the Southwest zone in advocating for true federalism that reflects the socio-political, cultural, and economic realities of the federating units,” Aiyedatiwa said.
He further urged that Section 44(3) of the 1999 Constitution be amended to move control of minerals, mineral oils, and natural gas from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List. According to him, this would empower states to harness their mineral resources and address the challenges of illegal mining and weak regulatory enforcement at the federal level.
The governor also expressed support for the creation of additional states, provided it does not involve ceding any part of Ondo’s territory. He pushed for the recognition of Ondo’s 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) as fully-fledged local governments in the First Schedule of the Constitution, similar to proposals for Lagos LCDAs.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Adeleke, Osun State Deputy Governor Kolawole Adeusi presented the state’s position, stressing the need for electoral reforms. He advocated for electronic voting and called for measures to reduce the high cost of elections and governance.
“The cost of governance is too high. We must make political office less attractive so it doesn’t become a matter of life and death,” Adeusi noted, while also calling for a more decentralized system of government.
Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji, represented by the State Attorney General, Dayo Apata (SAN), echoed the call for resource control and proposed that Section 44(3) be amended to give states greater authority over natural resources.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Southwest Centre B of the Constitution Review Committee, Hon. James Faleke, assured participants that all submissions would be thoroughly reviewed in line with the people’s aspirations for a more functional constitution.
Labour unions, traditional rulers, paramilitary agencies, and other stakeholders also presented memoranda, making a wide range of proposals aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s democracy and governance systems.
