A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has called for the devolution of powers to states in order to make them independent and stronger.
He made this known in a letter written to the Senate and addressed to the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan on Wednesday.
Agbakoba noted that the country must also be immediately restructured in order to solve the various challenges facing the country. The Senior Advocate added that the country must choose its own model of federalism considering its peculiarities.
The lawyer, however, demanded a review of the exclusive and concurrent lists, so as to give more powers to the states. He also asked the federal government to rename both lists as the federal legislative list and state legislative list.
He said: “The constitution has two legislative lists namely, exclusive and concurrent. These lists have 98 items of power. The federal government exercises exclusive power over 68 items on the exclusive list. The states in concurrence with the federal government, exercise power over 30 items on the concurrent list.
“But the states may only exercise power on the concurrent list, only if the federal government has not already ‘covered the field’ on any of the 30 items. In effect, state governments really have no power.”
Agbakoba disclosed that a committee should be set up to review the 98 items on the exclusive list and assign what is best to the federal government and what is best to the states.
He noted that the simple process of devolved powers can be by virtue of an enactment styled, and constitution alteration (devolution of powers) bill.
