FEDERALISM AND THE QUEST FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examines the role of federalism in the quest for national development in Nigeria with reference to the Fourth Republic (1999-2011). The study used secondary sources of data to analyse the nature of Nigeria’s federal system and factors militating against the implementation of principles of federalism. The research findings indicate that federalism represents a compromise arrangement whereby power and resources were deliberately and consciously shared between the centre and the federating units for the purpose of unity and national development. Federalism in the real sense has not been practiced in Nigeria. Nigeria’s federalism is bedevilled by challenges of over-concentration of governmental powers at the centre, sectional domination of powers and political leadership, inherited structural imbalance of the Nigerian state, long period of military rule, primordial politics and incessant ethno-religious antagonism, persistent antagonism over power sharing and resources control, revenue allocation formula antagonism, lack of local government autonomy and indigene/settler phenomenon. It is concluded that there would be no meaningful development without effective practice of federalism and its core principles in Nigeria. The study therefore recommends effective application of federal principles and rules, including equitable and just re-distribution of powers/resources amongst the federating units, balanced development among states and local governments, nationalist feelings and local government autonomy. These would facilitate Nigeria’s quest for national development.