Today (Friday), President Bola Tinubu is set to receive a draft bill advocating for a return to a regional system of government in Nigeria.

Afenifere chieftain to submit regional govt proposal to Tinubu

The bill, authored by Akin Fapohunda, a prominent member of the Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere, is titled “A Bill for an Act to substitute the annexure to Decree 24 of 1999 with New Governance Model for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” It proposes significant changes, including renaming current laws to “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria New Governance Model for Nigeria Act 2024.”

According to a report by The PUNCH last week, the House of Representatives disowned the bill. Akin Rotimi, the House spokesman, clarified that the bill had not been scheduled for discussion amidst ongoing efforts to review the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

However, Fapohunda confirmed to our correspondent that he would submit the bill to the President today. “I am submitting my draft bill today, but I plan to wait seven days before making it public,” he said.

Fapohunda, who also represents the Coalition of Indigenous Ethnic Nationalities, revealed that the organization proposes dividing Nigeria into eight geopolitical regions with provisional boundaries. The Southern Region would include Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, and Cross Rivers States, along with various ethnic groups such as Annang, Effik, Ekoi, Ibibio, Oro Ohaji/Egbema in Southern Imo, Adonia, Efemia, Ijaw, Ogoni, Bini, Ishan, Isoko, Urhobo, and Ijaw-speaking people in Northern Ondo State.

“The Southeastern region comprises Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states. The Western Region encompasses Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, and Ekiti States, with Yoruba-speaking people in Kogi and Igbomina people in Kwara State. Options also include the Itsekiri people of Delta State and Akoko-Edo people of Edo State,” he explained.

The Mid-Western Region would be composed of Edo and Delta States, possibly incorporating the Anioma people, while the Eastern Middle Belt Region would include Northern Cross River, Southern Kaduna, Southern Borno, Adamawa, Benue, Kogi, Plateau, Nassarawa, and Taraba States.

“The Western Middle Belt Region comprises Southern Kebbi, parts of Kwara and Niger States, and the North Eastern Region includes parts of Borno, Gombe, Bauchi, Jigawa, and Yobe States,” Fapohunda added.

He further outlined that the North Western Region encompasses Kaduna, parts of Kebbi, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara States. Fapohunda emphasized that the coalition proposes a two-tier government structure—federal and regional—allowing regions autonomy to manage their affairs, including the creation of sub-entities as stipulated and embedded in their respective constitutions.

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