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The Rivers Crisis And The Imperative Of Federalism-CNPP

January 25, 2014

It is the candid view of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties {CNPP} that the Rivers State Crisis is the latest litmus test of President Goodluck Jonathan’s observance of Federalism.

It is the candid view of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties {CNPP} that the Rivers State Crisis is the latest litmus test of President Goodluck Jonathan’s observance of Federalism.

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We are alarmed that Mr President seems to have scant regard to the fact that Nigeria is a Federal state, not a Unitary System nor a Confederacy. Before the Rivers State Crisis his scant regard to Federalism is more noticeable in the distribution of revenue accruing to the Federation Account, hence serial altercations with Nigerian Governors Forum.

For the avoidance of doubt, the doctrine of Federalism basically captures the middle ground between Unitary System and Confederacy.

Accordingly, the request of the Governor of Rivers State, R.C. Amechi, as the Chief Security Officer of the State for the transfer of Commissioner of Police {CP} Mbu Joseph Mbu, is a constitutional right guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which states interalia under Section 5{2}{a}, ‘the Executive Powers of the State shall be vested in the Governor, and in Section 176{2},’The Governor shall be the Chief Executive of the State’.

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Our understanding of the directive by the All Progressives Congress {APC} to its members in the National Assembly to block Executive Bills pending the restoration of rule of law and constitutionalism in Rivers State is a valid and due process to reinforce the doctrine of Federalism and return Mr President to the path of the best practices of statesmanship.

Consequently, the tactics adopted by APC is neither subversive nor unconstitutional as echoed by propagandists and praise singers who most of the time are self-centered.

As a shadow government, APC has the constitutional right to draw the attention of Mr President when he is crossing the thin-line between Federalism and Unitary System or Confederacy, until the Jonathan’s Conference amends the Federal Constitution we have today.

We are therefore outraged that members of the CNPP like the Labour Party, the National Conscience Party and other eminent Nigerians are in league with President Jonathan in his subtle subversion of Federalism, hence enthronement of Unitary System through the back door.

In sum, we are at a loss why President Goodluck Jonathan, as Commander-in-Chief is looking the other way, while the inferno is brewing in Rivers State; we therefore appeal to him to uphold the doctrine of Federalism, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.  And that more than any other Nigerian he has the single honour and privilege to put off the Rivers State inferno. And one way of doing this is to direct the Inspector General of Police to transfer CP Mbu Joseph Mbu to Borno or any other State in observance of the doctrine of Federalism.

Mr Osita Okechukwu

National Publicity Secretary

CNPP

 

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