Advocate for restructuring, Dr. Akin Fapohunda has asserted that Nigeria’s lingering political crisis in Rivers State has once again exposed the dangers of excessive centralised power and the unchecked dangers embedded in Nigeria’s current federal structure, reigniting calls for urgent restructuring as political power struggles threaten democratic stability.
In an interview with ARISE News, Fapohunda described the impeachment moves against Governor Siminalayi Fubara as a political overreach rooted in godfatherism, federal interference and a governance structure that concentrates power in the hands of a few political actors rather than the people.
“Well, it is an overreach by the political class. The real issue of reverse is that Wike believes he owns Rivers State and is under the control of the federal government. He believes he can do anything and get away with it.”
Drawing parallels with the Western Region crisis of the early 1960s, Fapohunda warned that Nigeria is reliving a familiar pattern. “I must lay the foundation with what happened in 1962 to 1965. At that time, Akintola was under the control of the federal might and the people in Western Region were with Adegbero. In any case, the system unravelled. That’s the reason why the First Republic failed out of Western Region. We are now in reverse, in 2025–26. Then there was no godfather. People were really people of integrity. They were playing games based on conviction, not on money.”
“But in 2025–26, we are now on money and control.” Just like then, federal might did not prevail, did not succeed in Western Region. It’s very unlikely that Wike will succeed.”
Fapohunda said the crisis underscores deeper structural flaws in Nigeria’s federal system, describing governors as “emperors” who treat state resources as personal wealth. “Oh, absolutely. The governors are mere emperors. They control resources of the state as if it’s their personal wealth, there’s so much money that the government has brought about in terms of subsidy lifting. They pocketed the money, all the states, we are not seeing dividends of democracy at all. In fact, despite all the money that is with them, they are still borrowing. We are in poverty still.”
Fapohunda appealed directly to the president to focus less on foreign roadshows and more on urgent political reform, arguing that Nigeria’s internal contradictions, centralised power and elite capture have weakened both governance and national pride. “How can you go to Dubai, go to UAE to be looking for investors? Nigeria is superior to UAE. It’s insulting to even go to UAE to go and spend a whole week. Very insulting. What is UAE to Nigeria? We should not put ourselves down again, honestly. I’m just begging the president.”
According to him, Nigeria’s presidential system has concentrated too much power in the executive, making accountability almost impossible. “Once you are a governor, you don’t respect anybody, once you are a president, you are 100 percent in charge, executive. The parliamentary system, collective performance of duty, it’s not a one-man show at all. The best system for us is still the parliamentary system where you don’t need to campaign with big money.
The prime minister cannot control me the way the president controls his minister and fires them anyhow. There will be some level of respect.”
He also faulted Nigeria’s overcentralised constitution, noting that the federal government currently controls 68 legislative items that should be devolved to regions. “Not only that, the federal government controls 68 items of functions. Everything is just federal, federal, federal, federal. By the time you decentralise and reduce these powers to not more than 10 items, foreign affairs, security, and maybe census, and maybe passport, but roads, hospitals, all items of social welfare will be in the regions, and they’ll be in control.”
“We need a federal constitution that is just 30 pages, let regions have its own constitution, Fundamental. Each region should have its own.”
Fapohunda further criticised Nigeria’s political parties, describing them as private vehicles owned by powerful individuals who sell tickets to the highest bidders. “We don’t have a political party what is named in Nigeria today. What we have now are not political parties. They are special vehicles owned by one or two people. We don’t even know them.”
“If they give you a ticket now, you pay 50 million. You pay 100 million. They won’t give you a ticket, they monopolise. If you are good, if I want to run now, if I don’t go and bow down to Senator David Mark in the ADC, or come to the chairman of APC you don’t know him. But the party is just an overlord.”
“Special vehicle instrument to just capture power. And when they capture power, it’s an investment. It has to be recouped. This is what we need to correct. We don’t have political parties, If Nigeria stays like this, Feb. 27 is just a foregone conclusion. How can you defeat President Inugu? He has gathered everybody together in one basket. You can’t defeat him at all Money for money, vote for vote.”
He argued that restructuring documents already exist and do not require prolonged conferences, urging political leaders to act swiftly to decentralise power. “The structure of Nigeria, the documents to address it, is ready, is available in the public space. We don’t need a six-month conference to debate it. These documents can be promulgated to the conference on May 29th this year to make it effective on October 1st.”
Fapohunda concluded by warning that Nigeria has little time left to correct its structural imbalance. “Political reform is now the front burner of the agenda. We can’t continue the way we are now with 100-million-Naira form to run for office.”
“There is a programme that will terminate on October 1st, a civilian programme, a civil society effort. We just pray and wish that President Inugu can look in our direction. We cannot force him.”
“We have to change course and lower the temperature, We have to do something now. It’s on record, let me say so, Do something today, don’t wait till tomorrow.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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