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The Dynamics of
Federalism in Nigeria
Ambrose Ihekwoaba Egwim
The Dynamics of Federalism in Nigeria
Ambrose Ihekwoaba Egwim
The Dynamics
of Federalism
in Nigeria
Ambrose Ihekwoaba Egwim
Political Science and Public Administration
Redeemer’s University
Ede, Nigeria
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer
Nature Switzerland AG 2020
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the
Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights
of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on
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now known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc.
in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such
names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for
general use.
The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and informa-
tion in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither
the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with
respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been
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This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature
Switzerland AG
The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
To the memory of my beloved brother Mr. Patrick Sabet Jego (Egwim),
who died in London April 29, 2019.
Preface
The call for specific changes and reforms that would allow the federating
units to have full authority and autonomy, structure and design a system of
local council administration, have more revenue, ensure equitable repre-
sentation in the federal appointments, and establish a separate police force,
which means re-allocation of powers and functions has brought into focus
argument for the strengthening of Nigerian federalism by strengthening
the states, what has been termed ‘true federalism.’ This book argues using
the process/sociological view of federalism that conditions, factors or
forces which are conducive to federal stability, or instead to the successful
operation of federal polity is peculiar to a particular environment. Thus,
there are no clearly definable dimensions of what makes ‘true federalism.’
Federalism is rather a process, undergoing continuous modifications to
fit the peculiarities of the environment in which it is being practiced. In
that regard, a radical redistribution of power and resources is required to
stabilize the Nigerian federal system. In fashioning the acceptable form of
power-sharing, the interest of the citizen must be of utmost concern.
The theme of the book is wildly discussed by academia, politicians,
and professionals in contemporary Nigerian politics. It will be useful to
the students of theory and practice of federalism, Nigerian federalism,
Nigerian government, and politics. The general public seeking to know
more about contemporary issues in Nigeria federalism will find the study
interesting.
vii
viii PREFACE
ix
x INTRODUCTION
The demand for ‘true federalism’ seems to be the sign that one is a
Progressive. Civil society activists always ensure that every communiqué
on governance contain the phrase ‘true federalism’ as an imperative for
Nigeria to make it as a nation. The phrase has become so common that
it is not unusual for some political scientists to recommend ‘true feder-
alism’ as the panacea for Nigeria’s ills. That ordinary citizens and politi-
cians find it convenient to use the adjective ‘true’ to quality the institution
contrived by human beings as part of a larger set of institutions to regu-
late human behavior does not pose a serious challenge. What is curious is
that academics, including political scientists, have appropriated this phrase
without engaging its content and meaning. (Aiyede 2011)
There appears to be a general agreement across the land that the existing
federal arrangement is not desirable, that so much power is concentrated
in the center. Advocates of ‘true federalism’ argue for the stripping of the
federal government many of its powers and devolving the same on the
lower tiers of government. A rigorous and purposeful re-examination and
re-allocation of the legislative list in favor of the lower tiers. Re-grouping
the existing 36 states into six regions, which will be the federating units
exercising the powers of the former four regions, a return to pre-1966
fiscal relations, the federal government handing off local government
affairs in favor of the states and the creation of the state police among
others. This raises the questions:
Reference
Aiyede, R. (2011). Why the Idea of “True Federalism” Is Nonsensical. http://sah
arareporters.com/2011/11/02/why-idea-%E2%80%9Ctrue-federalism%E2%
80%9D-nonsensical.
Contents
xiii
xiv CONTENTS
Conclusion 119
Bibliography 125
Index 135
List of Tables
xvii
PART I
Theoretical Issues
CHAPTER 1
need for a theory with higher explanatory power and in line with current
demands of true federalism in Nigeria. Although even granted that
Wheare places too much emphasis on the legal dimension of federalism,
there can be little doubt that federalism involves a legal-constitutional
arrangement which delimits the legal and political competence of the
levels of government. It is within the legal framework provided by the
federal arrangement that sociopolitical factors take on meaning and signif-
icance. What the process view adds is that it sensitizes the student of
federalism to the changing and evolving nature of the federal balance of
power and to the fact that intergovernmental cooperation cut across the
formal constitutional division of powers, which may model a particular
federation. The chapter utilized Birch’s (1966) four approaches to the
subject of federalism since K. C. Wheare: (1) Institutional Approach, (2)
Federalism as a Process, (3) Sociological Approach, and (4) Federalism as
a Bargain.
Institutional Approach
This approach, led by Wheare (1963), emphasizes constitutional and legal
aspects and associated political relationships. K.C Wheare focused on the
‘federal government’ as the established system or institutional structure.
Those who see federalism from the institutional point of view always
quote K. C. Wheare that federal system of government involves the divi-
sion of functions between a central government and the units, without any
part encroaching into the domain of the other. The component units have
unfettered control of their financial resources sufficient for the perfor-
mance of the functions assigned to it under the constitution. Therefore,
financial subordination makes an end of federalism (Dike 2006: 107).
From Wheare’s definition, it subsists that the distinguishing characteristic
of a federal system is that neither the central nor the regional government
are subordinate to each other, but rather, the two levels of government
are coordinate and independent:
Federalism as a Process
This approach argues that ‘federalism implies a process of federalizing, as
well as a pattern or structure.’ Friedrich (in Drummond 1999: 27) defines
the process of federalizing as: