Obasanjo
Running Unitary Govt, Says Udenwa
From Christopher Isiguzo in Owerri
Imo State Governor, Chief
Achike Udenwa, yesterday accused President Olusegun Obasanjo of running a
unitary government even when Nigeria is a federation.
Udenwa, while briefing newsmen in Owerri, said the President does not believe
in true federalism but prefers the unitary system of the military.
He queried the rationale behind the refusal of Federal Government to share the
revenue from excess crude kept in a special account with the Central Bank of Nigeria. Federal Government has insisted on saving the money,
already over N200 billion for a rainy day. "Before you keep such money,
the federating units must agree," Udenwa said.
"We have the exclusive list, the concurrent and residual list, but
Obasanjo sees everything as being solely exclusive to the central government,
it's quite unfortunate. You see Federal Government submitting bill on how to
share local government fund, does that concern them?
"As it stands now, we have nothing like Accountant General of the
Federation, but rather that of Federal Government, who listens only to Federal
Government. The Accountant General of the Federation has enormous
constitutional powers and always accommodates all the federating units in
important decisions," he added.
Udenwa, who is also the chairman of South-east Governors' Conference, said
there was need for the people to be fully educated on the doctrines of true
federalism.
He added that although nobody is challenging the leadership of Obasanjo, the
President should begin to see himself as "a President in a democracy, and
not a President in a military government."
