A summit of Nigeria’s Southern governors convened in Lagos for the first time in 13 years was buoyed by the determination of the summiteers to look beyond tribe, tongue and political affiliation to the issues that limit the expression of their autonomy within the context of the Nigerian federation.

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

Last Monday’s summit was the first gathering of governors from the former Southern Nigeria in 12 years.

Divided by culture and tribe but united by geographical positioning the 17 states from Nigeria’s southern region have for the most part trudged different paths.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode in a group photograph with 12 other Southern Governor’s and 3 deputies during the Southern Governors’ Summit at the Lagos House, Ikeja, on Monday, October 23, 2017.

It is that character that has made the states of the south seeming preys and partners with the more politically sophisticated Northern political elites who have at different political dispensations remained in power by oscillating political favours between different geographical sections of the south.

Unlike the North, the South after the amalgamation of the Southern and Northern provinces of the country in 1914 was divided into two political regions, the Western and Eastern Regions leading to divergent political experiences.

Through the period of colonization and into independence, the North sustained a similar political and geographical identity that was only broken up in 1966. Even after that till now, the North has continued to share political, economic and cultural philosophies. Governors of the 19 Northern States also hold regular meetings in Kaduna where issues of common interest are shared.

The first time the Southern governors met was in 2001 in Lagos under the auspices of the former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The last of the meetings was in 2005 in Enugu where Governor Chimaroke Nnamani hosted the Southern governors.

That meeting was shadowed by insinuations that it was a cover for the affirmation of the much controversial Third Term amendment of the Constitution to allow governors and the president a third term in office.

Since then governors from the South have walked different political and economic paths. However, regional meetings of South-South, Southeast, and Southwest governors have progressed. Moving along different paths, it was not difficult for the governors and their people to recognize that they could do little in the face of increasing pressures for the political restructuring of the country.

It was in the face of this that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode hosted fellow governors from the South on a one day summit.

Devolution of powers

All but one governor that is Owelle Rochas Okorocha, the governor of Imo State were present or represented.

Those present besides the host, Ambode were governors of Ogun, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Oyo, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Ebonyi, David Umahi; Edo, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; Ondo, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu; Abia, Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu; Enugu, Mr. Henry Ugwuanyi; Bayelsa, Mr. Seriaki Dickson and Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.

Governors of Cross River, Anambra, and Delta, were represented by their Deputies – Mr. Evara Esu; Dr. Ikem Okeke and Mr. Kingsley Otuaru respectively.

Once the governors gathered for their meeting last Monday common issues bothering them came to the fore.

Sources at the meeting told Vanguard that once Governor Ambode gave his welcome address, he was immediately followed by Governor Emmanuel who as chairman of the South-South governors served as co-host.

Among the others who spoke that day were Governors Aregbesola, Umahi and Ayade and a common trend in their assertions was the need for restructuring or devolution of powers back to the states.

The governors were particularly peeved that though Nigeria presents itself as a federation of states but that the country has been run more or less as a unitary state with the Federal Government acting like a big bully.

The governor added: “States are disparaged for always carrying begging bowls to Abuja in quest of hand-outs from the Federal Government.

This is a function of our present national constitution that burdens the Federal Government with activities and responsibilities that rightly fall within the province of states.

“The productivity and revenue-generating capacities of most states are thus stifled, thus turning them into no better than street beggar states incapable of even meeting routine obligations of paying workers’ salaries and pensions without federal support.”

As Governor Ambode noted, Lagos State had since the advent of the Fourth Republic been at the forefront in the advocacy for the expression of true federalism.

The state has been in and out of the courts and taken painful stands in the defence of its rights as an autonomous part of the Nigerian federation.

The choice of Lagos as the host or as convener of the summit was not totally shocking given the leading role of the state in the fight for the autonomy of the states. Among the landmark cases the state won that helped to define the country’s federation as Ambode recalled last Monday were the legal control over the management of its environment, the control of urban and physical planning, the regulation of overhead masts, the registration and regulation of hotels and restaurants, and the control of inland waterways.

These victories he noted were aimed at consolidating the rights of not just Lagos, but all 36 states as semi-autonomous parts of the Nigerian federation.

Remarkably, some of the key victories won during the stewardship of Governor Tinubu were articulated by his attorney general and commissioner for justice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo who is today, the vice-president of the country.

Indeed, some would love to see how Osinbajo would marshal the arguments he used to win some of those landmark cases to limit the power and influence of the Federal Government now that he is seated as the country’s number two citizen.

Power and influence

Given that the issues of concern were straightforward, the governors did not find it difficult to reach a communiqué which was read out by the host after about a two hour of deliberation.

The communiqué read thus:

• We have reinstated our commitment to a united and indivisible Nigeria.
• The summit also reiterated the need for true federalism and devolution of powers.

– It reinstated its commitment to collaborate with one another for the growth and development of their economies.

• The summit emphasised priority on security of lives and property for the citizens.
• It further emphasised the need for effective linkage on good infrastructure within the space of southern Nigeria.
• The summit also appointed Ambode as the chairman while Ebonyi state governor, David Umahi and Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, as co-chairmen.
• The next meeting is scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt, River State.

Optimism that last Monday’s summit would go a long way in redefining the relationship of the states in the south was infectious as Governor Ambode read the communiqué. However, the same optimism was almost there when a different set of governors met the last time about 13 years ago.

Fears that personality if not political rivalry would again break the bonds of unity weaved in Lagos are all too palpable.

How the governors forge to look beyond their immediate concerns to the long term good of their people may be the only key to keep them going.