SENATOR Smart Adeyemi was not exactly smart this time. Months after the Senate’s circuitous positions on amending the Constitution; he is blaming governors for frustrating the process.

Who was he speaking for and in what capacity? He is Chairman of Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. It is common knowledge that FCT is steeped in scandalous indifference of its officials to welfare of its inhabitants. Public facilities in Abuja are collapsing while Adeyemi’s attention roams.

The senator’s response to governors demanding more powers from the centre is that the President should set the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on them. Is that how a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria reasons in the 21st century? By extension, if the governor concede more powers to the centre, EFCC should overlook their thievery? Adeyemi should be smarter.

Why would anyone support more states, considering the economic implications of creating more cost centres? Does the Senate have a position on state creation and other issues being canvassed to make Nigeria more governable?

The National Assembly has no articulated position on constitution amendments. On state creation – Adeyemi’s pet project – Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who also leads the Senate Committee on Constitution Amendment, held three positions in two days: creation of new States not possible, new States would be created, Nigerians would decide on new States. Which of these positions reflected opposition of governors to new States?

“If we have governors who are progressives, the constitution amendment would be successful. They will not allow the constitution amendment to be successful. The fundamental aspect of the constitution amendment is the autonomy. If we cannot get the State Assemblies to be autonomous, there will be no development and the standard of living of the people will be static,” Adeyemi waxed.

On what is he building his fears? What is the position of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to which he belongs, with its commanding majority, on amending the Constitution? Are majority of governors not of PDP? Is he saying PDP is against amending the Constitution or cannot direct its governors to the common good?

“State governors siphon local government funds to a point some local governments cannot even pay salary,” Adeyemi lamented. Yet, if they agree to state creation, Adeyemi would allow them continue looting treasuries?

“We cannot amend the Constitution without getting two-third of the State Assemblies concurring with us,” he mourned. Was he not a senator when we had the Document of Necessity in 2010? Did governors and State Assemblies oppose it?

Nigeria is unsustainable without critical amendments to bases of its federalism. Adeyemi should not distract a process because it counters his interests.