An alleged bill proposing regional government in Nigeria has got people talking.
The draft bill, obtained by DAILY GIST proposes replacing the 1999 Constitution, implemented by the military, with a new governance model based on a Federal/Regional system.
This new model emphasizes self-determination for ethnic nationalities and will be subject to a national referendum.
But the national assembly has reacted to the purported draft bill.
It could be recalled that Nigeria practised the regional system of government after it gained independence in 1960.
In 1979, after military rule, Nigeria adopted the presidential system of government and has maintained it to date.
On Friday, the national assembly dissociated itself from the bill after a document titled ‘A bill for an act to substitute the annexure to Decree 24 of 1999 with a new governance model for the Federal Republic of Nigeria’, went viral on social media.
The bill is said to have been drafted by one Akin Fapohunda, who is not a member of the national assembly.
However, Yemi Adaramodu, the senate’s spokesperson, said there is no such bill before the national assembly.
“Such a bill is not with us. And who is sponsoring the bill? The National Assembly plenary is always held openly with the media in the chambers,” Adaramodu told TheCable
“In which order paper has such been reflected?”
Akin Rotimi, the spokesperson of the house of representatives, also denied the existence of such a bill.
“The committees on rules and business and constitution review have confirmed that there is no such bill before them,” The PUNCH quoted Rotimi as saying.
