OPINION: Making a Case for a Renegotiated Nigeria 2

By Chimennma Okolo

We have shown what great advantage Nigeria stands to enjoy if the country’s sea ports are decentralised reducing the killing pressure on Lagos State.

In talking of renegotiating Nigeria, I refer to all aspect of our life! It is not limited to some aspects and there is no “no go area”, every area is a go area!

Take the USA for instance from where we copied our presidential and state system of government from, each state has its own constitution, each municipality has its own police! Aside their Federal Constitution, each state in the US sat and negotiated their own system of existence! Each State determines it’s destiny! That’s why each state has its own system of courts and even State Supreme Court to try offence committed against the state.

Note particularly the fact that in the United States, a State Supreme Court is the ultimate Judicial Tribunal/Arbiter in the court system of a particular state (i.e., that state’s court of last resort). On matters of state law, the decisions of a State Supreme Court are considered final and binding on state and even United States Federal courts!

It may surprise you to know that the U.S. Supreme Court may hear appeals from State Supreme Courts ONLY if there is a question of law under the United States Constitution (which includes issues arising from federal treaties, statutes, or regulations), and those appeals are heard at the Court’s sole discretion!

It is worthy of note that State courts have broad jurisdiction, so the cases individual citizens are most likely to be involved in — such as robberies, traffic violations, broken contracts, and family disputes — are usually tried in state courts. The only cases state courts are not allowed to hear are lawsuits against the United States and those involving certain specific federal laws: criminal, antitrust, bankruptcy, patent, copyright, and some maritime cases.

NOTE: That State Courts here refer to courts established by even municipalities!

Although State Supreme Courts are bound by the precedent established by the U.S. Supreme Court as to all issues of federal law, but in practice, the Supreme Court reviews very few decisions from state courts. For example, in 2007 the Court reviewed 244 cases appealed from federal courts and only 22 from state courts.

What the above means is that the judicial system of a state is independent of the federal interference in matters relating to State legislation! And you wonder why there are delays in justice delivery?

Now you understand why we are where we are!  It is the structure!

If we want a more organised, better managed and sustainable nation, then we must tear down this stifling over centralized no good structure for a renegotiated structure agreed to by the different peoples of Nigeria!

Nigeria needs to be restructured!

We must restructure or burst!

Let it not be said we did not warn!

It shall not be said I kept quiet in the face of the obvious solution to our problems!

We must renegotiate Nigeria!

#renegotiatenigeriaproject

Chimennma Okolo is a lawyer,  human and equal rights activist,  environmental rights campaigner and the self styled Rt. Hon. Speaker of the Masses Assembly.