Nigerian constitution has created emperors as presidents, govs — Sen. Dickson — Africa Links 24

The Senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, recently expressed his concerns about the 1999 constitution, stating that it has created emperors out of governors and presidents in Nigeria. He highlighted the lack of accountability mechanisms for leaders in the current constitution during an interview on Channels TV.

Dickson pointed out that the drafters of the constitution failed to incorporate adequate measures for ensuring accountability in the exercise of power by public office holders. He emphasized the need to address this issue in the ongoing discussions about amending the 1999 Constitution.

During the interview, the former governor of Bayelsa State addressed the issue of financial autonomy for local governments and the resistance faced from some governors. He attributed this problem to the hierarchical power structure established by the constitution, where the President and state governors wield significant authority over local governments.

Reflecting on his own tenure as governor, Dickson highlighted his commitment to transparency and accountability. He shared that during his eight years in office, he refrained from tampering with local government funds and instead supported them with a percentage of internally generated revenue. In contrast, he criticized governors who exploit their control over local government allocations, even going as far as forcing local government chairmen to sign blank sheets of paper.

As a solution to promote transparency, Dickson implemented a transparency law during his tenure. This law mandated monthly announcements of state finances by the governor and required local government chairmen to do the same within their jurisdictions. Non-compliance with these transparency measures was deemed as gross misconduct and subject to punishment.