The True Federalism Committee, led by Nasir El Rufai, established by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to address restructuring, handed its findings to the National Working Committee on January 25, 2018. The report advocated increased state empowerment, suggesting that police and prisons shift from the Exclusive to the Concurrent List, allowing states to set up their police and prisons for specific crimes.
Moreover, the committee supported independent candidacy, stipulating that election candidates should not have been affiliated with any party six months before the election. On local governance, the committee proposed states be given the authority to legislate for local governments, including forming new councils.
In contrast, during his presidency, Muhammadu Buhari did not support restructuring or power devolution. However, he oversaw constitutional changes, including the Not-Too-Young-To-Run bill reducing age qualifications for candidates. In March 2023, Buhari signed 16 alterations, including transferring railway, prisons, and electricity from exclusive to concurrent legislative control.
President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a strong advocate for restructuring and democracy, emphasized the need for decentralized power and revenue distribution. He endorsed state police, local revenue control, and state-level engagement in power generation. Notably, he signed an electricity bill authorizing states, businesses, and individuals to generate, transmit, and distribute power.
Despite these initiatives, there’s no formal documentation of President Tinubu’s restructuring plan. Questions arise about his approach to devolution, reducing governance costs, implementing past reports, and granting states resource control. The public eagerly anticipates his agenda and timeline for input.