By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan.
Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu has said state governors in Nigeria lacked moral standing to call for more funding in the guise of true federalism.
The Minister stated this while speaking at the 40th Anniversary of the Department of Psychology, University of Ibadan.
According to the Minister, the state governors lacked the moral standing to call for more funding in the guise of true federalism when many of them are guilty of “true statism” in their respective states.
He pointed out that it was unfortunate that some governors in Nigeria are championing true federalism but have failed to conduct local government elections in their states in order to strangulate local government fund by appointing caretakers should show true statism at states.
“I want to say with due respect to most of our state governors particularly those who continue to agitate for true federalism but have no better examples laid in their various states. It’s unfortunate. Particularly if you look at the local government in our country, we would discover that our local governments are neither local nor government. State governors who refused to conduct local government elections which will make the local government councils really democratic. For years, you find out they are always appointing caretaker chairmen for sinister motive of strangulating the local government system with regards to their funding and those who should be in care,” he said.
Barrister Shittu tasked those advocating for true federalism in Nigeria to come up with clear definition and observable features of true federalism so that it can be measured.
“I want to challenge all those asking for true federalism to give us the definition of what constitute true federalism and list out those things that we would attain true federalism with. A lot of times, most of the resources of the local government are completely controlled by state government all across the land. So what example of true statism if you like are they giving? They should first provide the best in liberality and so on to those under them before asking for more funds in the guise of calling for true federalism.”
Speaking earlier, Secretary to the Ondo state government, Dr Aderotimi Adelola declared that “if Nigeria change agenda is to have any meaning, it must incorporate psychologist and reflect true federalism by devolving powers to states”.
The SSG added that federal government is strangulating the states in whose domain resources lie but exploited only with the approval of federal government noting that true federal was the desired change needed with greater input from psychologists.
In his remark, the Coordinator, Southwest Zone Nigeria Psychological Association, Dr Peter Olapegba who said the department of psychology has the highest professors in the field in Nigeria lamented that it is saddening that Nigeria “ as a country has not come to appreciate the importance of psychology in developing capacity in the industries, health sectors, education, sports, sports, and politics”.
