President Bola Tinubu will receive a draft bill on Friday proposing a return to a regional system of government for Nigeria. The bill seeks a new governance model and new laws under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria New Governance Model for Nigeria Act 2024.
The bill, authored by Akin Fapohunda of Afenifere, proposes dividing Nigeria into eight geo-political regions with interim boundaries. Each region will have autonomy in managing its affairs, creating sub-entities, and governing at the provincial and divisional levels.
The Coalition of Indigenous Ethnic Nationalities (CIEN) also proposes downsizing the current states into provinces and transitioning local government areas into divisions. The group advocates for a uni-camera federal legislature, decentralization of federal power, and a return to the parliamentary system of government.
Overall, the aim is to reduce the cost of administration, empower regional development, and ensure equitable representation and governance across the proposed regions in Nigeria.