President Bola Tinubu is set to receive a draft bill this Friday that proposes a return to a regional system of government for Nigeria. The bill, 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,” is authored by Akin Fapohunda, a prominent member of the Yoruba socio-cultural association, Afenifere.

Tinubu gets bill proposing return to regional govt Friday

According to Fapohunda, the proposed legislation aims to establish a new governance model under the name “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria New Governance Model for Nigeria Act 2024.” The bill outlines significant changes, including the division of Nigeria into eight geopolitical regions with provisional boundaries.

Fapohunda clarified that the bill, initially reported as disowned by the House of Representatives, will be formally submitted to the President despite previous confusion over its legislative status. He emphasized that the proposal advocates for regions to have increased autonomy in managing their affairs, including the ability to create sub-entities within the framework of their respective constitutions.

The proposed regions include:

Southern Region: Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, with optional inclusion of other ethnic groups.
South Eastern Region: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo.
Western Region: Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Ekiti, with extensions to include Yoruba-speaking communities in Kogi and Kwara.
Mid-Western Region: Edo, Delta, with potential inclusion of Anioma people.
Eastern Middle Belt Region: Cross River, Southern Kaduna, Southern Borno, Adamawa, Benue, Kogi, Plateau, Nasarawa, Taraba.
Western Middle Belt Region: Southern Kebbi, parts of Kwara, Niger.
North Eastern Region: parts of Borno, Gombe, Bauchi, Jigawa, Yobe.
North Western Region: Kaduna, parts of Kebbi, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara.

The coalition behind the bill envisions a two-tier government system comprising federal and regional levels. Each region would be empowered to manage its resources and governance structures independently, subject to agreed constitutional provisions.

In terms of governance specifics, the proposal includes:

Establishment of regional governments with executive and legislative bodies led by a Premier.
Conversion of current states into provinces, each governed by Provincial Councils.
Transformation of Local Government Areas into divisions focused on socio-economic development.

The coalition also advocates for a new constitution that guarantees regions the freedom to create, merge, or reconfigure their administrative units without external interference. This decentralization aims to streamline public administration costs to a more sustainable level relative to generated revenue.

Furthermore, the proposal suggests a unicameral federal legislature where members are elected by their respective regions, reducing the current unwieldy number of states from 36 to a more manageable figure aligned with regional consensus.

Overall, the bill proposes a significant restructuring of Nigeria’s governmental framework to enhance regional autonomy and foster more efficient governance aligned with regional needs and identities.

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