Professor Peter Lassa, the first mathematics professor in Northern Nigeria and a former executive secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), offers criticism of Nigeria’s political structure, governance, and educational system. He notes that frequent party defections threaten democracy and laments the absence of political ideas and the self-serving attitude of politicians. Lassa contends that the absence of enforcement of current rules regarding political defection and Nigeria’s feeble constitutional framework make it impossible to resolve political problems and cause instability. He asserts that Insecurity is a regional issue with political motivations that calls for regional remedies rather than a universal one.
As a way to combat corruption, boost security, and improve service delivery, he supports regional politics. Centralisation, he claims, makes it possible for widespread financial wrongdoing to go unreported. He accuses the administration of ignoring primary and secondary education in favour of an overemphasis on higher education. He draws attention to the fact that the system is weakened by the fact that many state governments do not fund basic education. He also opposes the implementation of a new educational framework (12–4), stating that greater Teacher compensation and instruction are more important than amendments to the law.
Political desertion has been a prevalent occurrence in Nigerian politics.
Restoring regional governance is something Lassa advocates for, claiming that it will enable better handling of issues related to politics, security, and education. According to him, Nigeria would continue to face Underdevelopment and ineffective government unless significant political reforms are implemented. Political desertion, often known as “cross-carpeting,” has been a prevalent occurrence in Nigerian politics. In Sections 68(1)(g) and 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, lawmakers who defect to a different party before the end of their term are required to resign from their seats, unless the defection results from a split within their original party or a merger with another party.
More so, a member of the House of Representatives for the Akure South/North Federal Constituency of Ondo State, Ifedayo Abegunde, was compelled to leave his position by the Supreme Court in a historic ruling after defecting from the Labour Party (LP) to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Because there was no rift in the LP’s national structure at the time, the court ruled that his defection was not justified. Similarly, Senator Sonni Ogbuoji was forced to leave his position by the Federal High Court after switching from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A regional system would intensify Nig’s historical regional divisions.
Because there was no PDP division to support his action, the court determined that his defection was unlawful. Several academics have expressed reservations with Professor Lassa’s proposal to revert to regional governance in order to handle Nigeria’s difficulties. The unity of Nigeria could be threatened by the escalation of separatist sentiments brought on by the shift to regional governance. A regional system would intensify the country’s historical regional divisions, which have occasionally resulted in aspirations for secession. Inequality may rise if places with a wealth of natural resources or thriving economies develop more quickly than less-endowed areas.
Under regional governance, the goal of the current federal system—more equitable resource distribution among states—may be upset. Creating distinct regional administrations with their own bureaucracies can increase administrative costs and put a strain on the country’s budget. The views provided by Professor Lassa illuminate important problems with Nigeria’s political and governmental systems. The frequency of party defections threatens the stability of democracy. Even though current Legislation addresses this problem, uneven enforcement is still a problem. Enforcing anti-defection legislation more strictly is essential to maintaining democratic values.
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There are several sides to the argument over federal versus regional governance. Although regional administration may provide customised answers to particular problems, there are hazards associated with it, including the possibility of fragmentation and unequal development. The best governance system for Nigeria’s particular situation must be determined through a comprehensive and inclusive national discussion. In order to address the inequalities in Nigeria’s educational system, a sophisticated strategy that takes regional variations into account is needed. Educational changes should be egalitarian and successful, and policies should be flexible enough to adjust to local circumstances.