El-Rufai Accuses Politicians of Betraying Federalism After Winning Power

|By Chinwendu Nwani

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has accused Nigerian politicians of discarding federalist ideals once they assume office, despite riding to power on its promises.

Speaking on Friday at an interactive session in Owerri, Imo State, El-Rufai declared that Nigeria was founded on the principles of federalism but has since been derailed by leaders who adopt centralised governance.

He recalled that President Bola Tinubu’s political career was built on the campaign for restructuring and true federalism, while the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) also pledged to restore the country to federalist roots.

“This country was founded as a federation, but it appears there are very few committed federalists in Nigeria. Federalism is often touted by those seeking power who quickly abandon it once in office,” El-Rufai said in his lecture, ‘Moving Forward Together’.

The former governor credited federalism with strengthening inter-ethnic unity, democratic stability, and socio-economic progress during the First Republic. He blamed the centralisation of powers in the 1970s for eroding these gains, stressing that the Federal Government has become overburdened with too many responsibilities while failing to deliver effectively.

He argued that powers such as policing should be devolved to the states. El-Rufai also welcomed the 2023 constitutional amendment that transferred electricity and railways to the concurrent list, giving states more control.

However, he pressed for deeper reforms in line with the 2018 recommendations of the APC Committee on True Federalism, which he chaired. “In moving forward together, we should strive to be a nation of merit, putting our best forward in the mighty effort needed for economic development,” he added.