How time flies. Its 19 unbroken years of democracy in Nigeria and governments at all levels have rolled out the drums celebrating. However, the celebrations were not without nostalgia of the recent happenings in the land. Events of the past few months in Nigeria appear to have driven the nation into some crossroads. To some, it is akin to taking the country to the brink of precipice and to others driving the nation between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Nigeria is on the match again looking ahead of 2019 general elections. But whichever way we want to look at Nigeria these past 19 years, one thing is obvious that in spite of the progress and gains we may have made it is obvious that all is not well with the country.
Prior to Nigeria’s independence, the country was under the rule of the colonial masters and the influence of the colonial masters on the nation dovetailed into the Post-independence Nigeria. Having been amalgamated for over 100 years now, there is nothing wrong if there is complete review of the Northern and Southern protectorates agreement to establish Nigeria vide a sovereign conference as demanded by Nigerians for several years. Moreover, the constitution being amended by the National Assembly is an imposition by the military, which was dominated by a section of the country.

The ruling elites have been forcing unity on the people, but the reality on ground is that Nigerians are not united. There is anger everywhere. There are hate speeches. There is threat of secession by the people of Eastern Nigeria..
What appears visible is the fact that year in year out, leaders tell us that the unity of the country is non-negotiable. That’s fine but how do we move from where we are now to a greater Nigeria free of corruption, nepotism, and availability of purposeful leadership. There has been a campaign for the implementation of true fiscal federalism and resource control by people of the the Niger Delta. Much more, there is massive demand for the restructuring of the country away from the current unviable 36 states structure imposed on it by the military-imposed constitution. There is an overwhelming call for the devolution of powers from the federal government to the federating units.

But the National Assembly has so far carried out 33 amendments. They voted in support of financial autonomy to local government areas, independent candidacy, and restriction of executive offices to one term, amongst others.
Regrettably, the area of devolution of powers, which has become a subject of passionate debate across the country in recent years, was roundly rejected by the lawmakers. It is obvious that Nigerians are bad copiers. America that Nigeria copied the presidential system of government from operates true fiscal federalism. The Nigerian Constitution concentrates too many powers at the centre, at the expense of state authorities that are closer to the citizens.
Senators approved an amendment that will see state legislators superintend over their own budget, rather than the existing practice that gives governors powers to appropriate expenses of lawmakers. The Federal lawmakers at the National Assembly already enjoy financial autonomy. What again seems to be playing out is that the current exercise appears to be self-serving or serving some sectional interest and not really the interest of generality of Nigerians.
The current amendment proposes that local government administrators should be allowed to manage their own accounts as against the existing policy in which governors exert powers over allocations to local government areas. The amendment also seeks to prohibit constitution of caretaker leadership for LGAs, a tool that critics said governors have exploited to trample on the independence of local government areas. This is good but must be underpinned by the adoption of the principle of true fiscal federalism.

The National Assembly also seeks to ban anyone who succeeds a president or a governor and completes the tenure of such president or governor from contesting for that same office more than once. This is to prevent the situation in which former President Goodluck Jonathan completed the tenure of late President Umar Yar’Adua between 2010-2011, participated in the 2011 election and won a four-year term and still ran for election again in the 2015 election will no longer be permitted if the proposed amendment scales through. What the senators now propose essentially means that when someone succeeds a president or a governor, the person is considered to be spending the first of the two-term privilege the Constitution gives to an individual to run for office.
Only last week, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Not Too Young to Run Bill into law paving way for young persons of 25-30 years to seek elective offices up to the highest office in the land, the presidency. This is a welcome development in the annals of the history of Nigeria. This will see young people bring in their energies, drive and capacity to bear in governance if given the opportunity.
This development, no doubt will bring in the new age of technology to bear in governance and shove aside the analogue system the country has been operating over the years whereas the rest of the world has gone digital in almost all sectors.

Looking ahead, we need to mobilise all our resources to develop Nigeria. There is need to look outside the box. There is need to carry everyone along the national discuss. There is need for all tiers of government to work in synergy to ensure that the 2019 election provides opportunity to advance the business of reparing and repositioning the nation.
President Muhammadu Buhari during his Democracy Day broadcast alluded to the fact that Nigeria needs to be fixed for both the present and future generations. Fixing Nigeria is the business of every Nigeria and the present administration provides a good opportunity for everyone to join hands in moving the nation forward.
I agree with President Buhari that there is a lot to benefit if Nigeria remains as one, united nation. But we must get out acts together. We must get the constitution right. It must be a peoples constitution prepared by Nigerians of diverse groups We must join hands with the present administration to fight corruption, bribery and looting of the nation’s resources.
As we approach the 2019 general election, there is the need for all eligible voters to participate actively in the electoral process and do not give excuses when things don’t go the way. Nigerians should support President Muhammadu Buhari to take Nigeria to greater heights in the next four years.

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Mr. Dan Owegie is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State.