FG needs to shed weight and return powers to states - El-Rufai

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has said the Federal Government needs to shed weight and return powers and resources to the states.

The governor made this known on Thursday, September 21, 2017, while delivering a lecture on restructuring at Chatham House, London.

The governor, who leads a 10-man All Progressives Congress Committee on true federalism, also argued for the devolution of powers and control of resources by the state government.

El-Rufai said, “The APC set up a Committee on True Federalism to help give structure to the debate, remove the bile and bitterness colouring the matter and transform the discourse into a nation-building opportunity.

“The preponderance of opinion is that the Federal Government needs to shed weight and return powers and resources to the states where most government functions can be more efficiently undertaken. For the states to take on these powers, they need to access a greater share of the nation’s resources. And we need to sort out the notion of citizenship so that every Nigerian can enjoy the protection of the constitution wherever they choose to reside.

“In many communities, people still use the notion of ‘indigeneship’ to consign compatriots to a position of ‘settler’ and, by implication, perpetual exclusion from enjoying the full political, social and economic opportunities guaranteed by the constitution to every citizen.”

 “In this regard, we have put up an announcement calling on members of the public to submit memoranda and meet us at designated venues of the public hearings without any discrimination. So, it is an open invitation to all Nigerians to attend and make their views and voices to country.

 “With this multi-pronged approach, we are confident we will feel the pulse of ordinary Nigerians and submit a credible report that will guide the leaders of our party, and the government. With this open-minded approach to the question of restructuring, I have no doubt that we will credibly fulfil our terms of reference,” he said.

He noted that the committee could encourage consensus on reducing the Exclusive List, introducing state constitutions, state police, state appeal and supreme courts, reviewed tax powers and transfer of control of mineral rights to the states.

Read the full speech El-rufai's speech on restructuring at Chattam House