Joseph Okwesili Nkwede1; Aro Gilbert Chukwu2; Iwok Uduak Michael3
E-mails: joseph.nkwede@ebsu.edu.ng; gillyrosey@yahoo.com; uduakiwok2016@gmail.com
1Department of Political Science, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki
2Department of Political Science, Federal University Ndufu Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State
3Department of Mass Communication, Akwa-Ibom State Polytechnic; Ikot Osurua; Ikot-Ekpene Uyo
Abstract
The centripetal and centrifugal forces plaguing pluralist states has indeed, become a disturbing notoriety to the intellectual class in recent times and to that extent increasingly fueled their constant review of the applicability of federalism in this circumstance. Fiscal or true federalism has been romanticized as a panacea to the contending social and ethnic forces jostling for accommodation in pluralist state like Nigeria.This study therefore, aims at interrogating the raison d’être for federalism and the notion of autonomy and devotion of powers in Nigeria. While employing consociational democratic theory, data were sourced from documentary instrument mostly from secondary sources and content analytical methods were used in its analysis. The study argues that a prototype federalism that structures the autonomy and devolution of powers constitutionally to local governments can guarantee stability in a pluralist state. The study among other things; recommends that autonomy of the local government is sacrosanct and a veritable instrument for the stability and sustenance of federalism in a pluralist state as evidenced in Nigeria.
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