In an exclusive interview with guardian.ng, legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria Yusuf Ali shared his insights on the challenges confronting Nigeria and proffered solutions for the nation’s progress.
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Contrary to popular opinion, Ali asserted that the 1999 Constitution is not the primary cause of Nigeria’s problems. He argued that the operators of the constitution, the Nigerian people themselves, are responsible for the crises bedeviling the country.
“The problem with our country is not the constitution; it is not the lack of laws and regulations. Nigerians are the problems of Nigeria,” Ali stated. He emphasized that while the constitution is not perfect, there must be willingness to make it work.
Notwithstanding his stance on the constitution, Ali called for several amendments, including:
– Making the directive principles of state policy justiciable, allowing citizens to challenge the government for failure to fulfill its obligations
– Entrenching local government autonomy in line with the Supreme Court’s decision
– Reducing the influence of money in politics and preventing individuals from owning political parties
– Ensuring votes count in elections to hold political office holders accountable
The legal scholar stressed the need to strengthen key institutions. He advocated for improving the welfare of judges and those in the administration of justice. Ali also called for modernizing and reorienting the police to serve the common man rather than being a tool of oppression.
Ali proposed greater devolution of power to the constituent parts of the country. He suggested a new revenue allocation formula that would give the federal government no more than 40%, with states and local governments each receiving 30%.
The Senior Advocate dismissed calls for a return to regionalism, arguing that the operator of any system matters more than the structure itself. “Who will be running the regional governments? Are they not Nigerians?” he queried.
To dilute the powers of political parties, Ali advocated for allowing independent candidates to contest elections, especially at the grassroots level. He decried the current situation where a few individuals control political parties.
Expressing concern about the increasing crime rate, Ali urged the government to deploy technology like drones with cameras and satellite imagery to tackle criminality. He called on security agencies to do more in securing lives and property.
Ali advised the government to subsidize means of production, encourage industries, and invest heavily in infrastructure development to lessen the hardships faced by Nigerians. He identified problems like gridlock on major roads that need urgent attention.
The legal luminary concluded by urging Nigerians to change their mindsets, believe in merit, and work hard to solve the nation’s self-imposed problems. “If we want a good system, we must be good people,” he remarked.
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