The House of Representatives has rejected a widely circulated draft bill proposing a return to the regional system of government in Nigeria. This draft bill, 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,” aims to introduce a new set of laws called “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria New Governance Model for Nigeria Act 2024.”
The draft, reportedly created by Dr. Akin Fapohunda, has been trending on social media. However, it has been confirmed that Fapohunda is not a member of either the Senate or the House of Representatives, indicating that the draft is a private bill.
House spokesman Akin Rotimi, in a telephone conversation, dismissed the draft bill, stating, “The Committees on Rules and Business and Constitution Review have confirmed that there is no such bill before them.”
Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, also confirmed that the draft bill is not before his committee. He explained, “There are two routes to making presentations for constitutional amendments. One is by members proposing an amendment bill during the plenary. The second is by memoranda from individuals and groups to the Constitution Review Committee. Please note that memoranda submitted should eventually come by way of bills sponsored by a member of the committee. On this specific memo (draft bill) under reference, I doubt if it has come before the Rules and Business Committee for listing. I speak as chairman of the committee.”
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In an exclusive interview, Fapohunda discussed his motivations for the proposal. “I retired from the public service as a director in the Presidency. I have a PhD in Agricultural Science, but I am into Information and Communication Technology. I have been involved in constitution drafting for years,” he said.
Fapohunda elaborated on his reasons for the proposal, saying, “The Chief, this week returned us to the old national anthem. At independence, Nigeria embraced a regional system of government. So, I felt we could also revisit the past and return to regionalism. I have done a preliminary draft for Nigerians to ponder over. Next week, I will be seeing my representative in the House of Representatives. We hope that senators and House members can embrace this modest proposal for a change. If this is acceptable, we can then sit down and do a proper drafting of the bill.”
This draft, despite its social media traction, lacks formal recognition within the legislative framework, as confirmed by key figures in the House of Representatives.
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