The recent wave of opposition against the proposed re-introduction of regional government, stirred by some senators – mostly from the northern geo-political zone of the country – is both paradoxical and unjustifiable. This is more so, because the embattled zone boasts of the highest, frightening figures and scary statistical data on the country’s poverty index, number of out of school children, number of under-5 children suffering from malnutrition, number of deaths from attacks by Boko Haram, banditry and kidnapping for ransom. And of course, the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP).
These recurring ugly decimals of absymally poor governance that have for long ridiculed our political features could be drastically reduced by a regional government, like it, or not. But during a recent retreat organised by the Senate Committee on Consitution Review, done in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) in Kano State, Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District; Muntari Dandutse, (Katsina South Senatorial District), Sani Musa (Niger East) and Ali Ndume (Borno South) were vehemently opposed to the proposal. In specific terms, Ningi, who claimed to have visited India, Argentina, Singapore and the United States, stated that: “For a start, no matter how you see it, the current documemt (1999 Constitution) is still the ground norm.
It has also stated how it is going to be amended.” He went further to explain that what is imp.
