The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) on Friday in Lagos called on the Federal Government to ensure it allowed true federalism thrive as it was practiced all over the world.?
The Lagos State Chairman of ANPP, Alhaji Razaq Oyekanmi, claimed in a statement that “because true federalism was not practiced in Nigeria was the reason Nigerians were agitating for the creation of more states’’.?
“ If there has been a true federalism to be practiced as it is known conventionally, the agitation for creation of more states will not come.?
“People feel cheated; they feel that the good things of life, even the most common ones are not available for them to enjoy which is why they believe the only way they can feel the presence of the Federal Government or even to govern themselves is to ask for states,’’ he said.?
He argued that creating more states was not the problem, saying the question should be the ones that were already created, are they able to govern themselves.?
“Do they have the mineral resources to take care of their people? Everybody eyes are on allocation from oil hence the call for states creation,’’ he said.
He added that he did not think we should consider creating more states now, what we should concern ourselves with is fighting for true federalism to take place.
“Most of the existing states don’t generate internal revenue for themselves apart from Lagos state.
“Some of them can’t even sustain themselves, not even to pay salaries as at when due, they all depend on the Federal Government for their resources.
“So if we create more states, what will they live on?” he asked.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu made this known at a retreat in held in Asaba in July, which requests for creation of more states rose from 46 in 2011 to 56.
NAN reports that key issues raised at the retreat include tackling devolution of power for true federalism, indigeneship, financial autonomy and creation of state police.
Others are the creation of more states and one state for the South East zone for equity.(NAN)