In Nigeria, a range of voices have called for the review of the federal system of government. They include former president Olusegun Obasanjo; an academic and former electoral agency chief, Mahmud Jega; and a coalition of ethnic nationalities.
Nigeria’s federal system currently consists a central government headed by a president, 36 states headed by governors, and 774 local governments. The Supreme Court recently granted autonomy to the local governments. They were previously under the control of state governments.
Some of the political restructuring arguments have an ethnic colouration founded on grievances over perceived domination or marginalisation. The ethno-regional groupings in Nigeria champion different and competing demands for a restructured federal system.
