Sanwo-Olu, Obasa demand state police, special status for Lagos

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-olu and Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa have called for a special economic status for Lagos State while also calling for the amendment of the 1999 Constitution, true fiscal federalism and creation of State police.

Similarly, members of the Civil Society Organizations, labour union and rights activists also lent their voices to the call for restructuring, which according to them would reflect true federalism for unity, progress and prosperity of the country.

The governor and other participants made the call at the opening of the two-day Senate Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution, held in Ikeja, Lagos under the chairmanship of Senator Oluremi Tinubu, representing Lagos Central.

At the opening hearing which lasted for seven hours, participants called for autonomy to be granted to the local government system to ensure that the third tier of government is empowered to carry out effective administration of policies as the closest to the people.

In his address, Governor Sanwo-Olu commended both the leadership and members of the National Assembly for yielding to the demands of Nigerians to review the 1999 Constitution, assuring them of the state government support to make the assignment easier and highly rewarding for all Nigerians.

He said, “For us in Lagos State, the issues of State Police and fiscal federalism are at the top of the priority list for us, in this ongoing review process. Equally fundamental, particularly for us in Lagos State, is the issue of a Special Economic Status for Lagos, considering our place in the national economy and the special burdens we bear by virtue of our large population and limited landmass.

“I believe the need for this Special Status has been sufficiently articulated and justified. It suffices for me at this point to restate that this request is by no means a selfish one, but one that is actually in the interest of every Nigerian and of Nigeria as a nation.

“The progress and prosperity of Nigeria is inextricably linked to the progress and prosperity of Lagos State. A Special Status for Lagos State, therefore, must be a concern not only for the people of Lagos State alone but for all Nigerians.”

Speaking further on the advantages of the public hearing, the governor added, “This constitutional amendment process will provide Nigerians with the opportunity to express their minds on the issues they want to see reflected in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, either by way of amendments to existing provisions, or entirely new provisions.

“This is another opportunity to build on the work that has been done so far. I should note that many of the issues that have been agitating the minds of the various stakeholders in the Nigerian project are already in the public domain. However, this Zonal meeting provides an opportunity to articulate and express them again, in the hope that this particular process will produce favourable outcomes.

“According to the National Assembly, the primary issues on the table for this Public Hearing include Increased Participation of Women and Vulnerable groups in governance, Local Government Administration and Autonomy, State Police, Fiscal Federalism and Revenue Allocation, Judicial Reforms, Electoral Reforms, Residency and Indigene-ship, Constitutional Roles for Traditional Rulers, and many more.”

Represented by the Deputy Speaker, Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Mudashiru Obasa disclosed that the most fundamental aspect of the call by the state government is the 30 per cent derivation of natural resources for the domiciling states, as well as the criminalization of undue interference in activities of the legislature by the executive.

Like the governor, Obasa also expressed the need for Lagos to be accorded a special status as the economic nerve centre of the country, adding that it was also expedient that state police be created to improve security at the grassroots.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who represented the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, said the zonal hearings were coming before the national hearing because the senate decided to adopt a bottom-top approach by first listening to Nigerians at the geopolitical level.

In his speech, Omo-Agege said: “A constitution review represents a critical phase in our development and advancement as a nation. At the commencement of this ninth Senate, we had set for ourselves a legislative agenda as a basis on which we are to be assessed.

“Sitting prominently in that agenda is the need to address, by way of constitutional amendments, topical issues like judicial and electoral reforms, local government autonomy, and devolution of powers. If we get those items through constitutional processes of alteration successfully, then our constitutional democracy will be set on the right pedestal and, ultimately, Nigeria will take its pride of place among the enviable constitutional democracies in the world.

“The success of the review process will be dependent on your beneficent support and partnership. This exercise is your exercise and I implore you all to embrace and own it.

“I encourage and implore every one of us here today and Nigerians, both at home and in the diaspora irrespective of political affiliations to support the Senate and indeed the National Assembly in our desire to bring positive transformations to our Country.

“I, therefore, invite you all to participate actively in this public hearing so that together we can bequeath our nation with a people centres Constitution, “Omo-Agege said.

Speaking on the establishment and functionality of Sharia Courts, State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Revd, Steven Adegbite, said CAN might be forced to vie for Canon courts in the spirit of equity and justice.

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba who was represented by the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, insisted that the national minimum wage be retained on the exclusive legislative list.

He said: “Any contemplation to remove the national minimum wage from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent legislative list would only expose Nigeria to international ridicule and opprobrium.

“Our prayers are that the National Assembly should retain the national minimum wage on the exclusive list as currently listed in the 1999 constitution, and also retain the general administration of pension as currently captured in Section 173 of the 1999 constitution.

“We also pray that the National Assembly should favourably consider our demands for the full realisation of local government autonomy, legislative autonomy and autonomy for the judiciary arm of government.”

Other submissions from participants cut across the creation of new states, local governments autonomy, gender equality, and the drafting of an entirely new Constitution as they described the current one as a “Military Constitution” imposed on Nigerians.

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