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updated 10:20 AM UTC, Dec 13, 2023

Nigeria Is A Unitary State, Says Olisa Agbakoba

Guardian / Nigeria: With the Federal Government having control of virtually every aspect of the federating units, Nigeria is more of a unitary state.The former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba said this in Lagos at the weekend.

He spoke at the 35th colloquium of the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL), in honour of erstwhile governor of Lagos State, Lateef Jakande and former Finance Minister, Kalu Idika Kalu.

The two were honoured for their contributions to the growth and development of the country over the years. Agbakoba, who is a human rights activist, buttressed his point with the case of former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, who was denied entry into the Government House three years ago.

He said only in a unitary government could the police have barricaded the entrance. The activist explained that the Nigerian Constitution was a product of the Unitary Government of the late Major Gen. Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi.

According to him, successive military governments had adopted that system which Major Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar handed over to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Agbakoba said: “Nigeria needs to get a constitution that defines our purpose, because it is the only means to make the politicians to be accountable to us.“Our government is largely illegitimate and until we have a people-oriented constitution, we cannot get it right as a nation.”

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