Nigerian Federalism and the Clamour for Restructuring: Is It the Structures or the Leadership

Restructuring is a topical issue that is making news headlines in Nigeria. The restructuring debate has divided the Nigerian political elites into two groups. First, the proponents of State and Local Government creation. The second are those advocating for devolution of powers to the component units. Dialectically opposed to the above two groups, is the separatist agitation by the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) with divergent strategies for actualizing their intention of seceding from the Nigerian federation. They wanted an independent country for the Igbo ethnic nation. However, they are diametrically opposed to each other in their modus operandi. The MASSOB are favorably disposed to peaceful and consensual separation, while IPOB chooses to be armed with an aggressive confrontation with the Nigerian state. The fundamental question raised in this paper and attempt made to provide answers to is, what is wrong with the federal structures of Nigeria. Is it the structures or the governance process. The paper concluded that corrupt and inept leadership cutting across regime type in Nigeria is responsible for the dysfunctional federal system of Nigeria. The paper suggested among others that more Local Governments be created with the condition that Nigerians of proven integrity should contest election at the local council, while they still retain their jobs in the public and private sectors, only to resign when they emerge victorious in the poll.