The Senate on Thursday passed the South-West Development Commission Establishment Bill, 2024, moving it one step closer to becoming law. While the bill has been widely welcomed, the Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere has emphasized that Nigeria’s greater need is for restructuring and devolution of powers to ensure true federalism.
The bill’s passage came after Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Special Duties, presented a report during plenary. He explained that the commission would focus on accelerating socio-economic growth in the South-West region. “If established, the commission will receive funds from the Federation Account, donations from development partners, and other sources to address infrastructure deficits and ecological challenges in the region,” Senator Kaka stated.
After reviewing the bill clause by clause, the Senate unanimously passed it. Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, praised the committee’s work and noted that similar development commissions in other regions had already received the president’s assent. He expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu would also approve the South-West Development Commission Bill.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Gbenga Daniel (APC, Ogun East), is part of a broader effort to establish regional commissions aimed at addressing specific developmental challenges. In recent months, the Senate has passed similar bills for the North-West and South-East Development Commissions, both of which have been signed into law by President Tinubu.
However, Afenifere expressed reservations. Speaking on behalf of the group, Deputy Chairman Oba Oladipo Olaitan commended the commission’s potential but stressed that it does not address Nigeria’s fundamental issues. “Nigeria is a federation, and what we truly need is not more commissions but a restructuring of the system to allow for genuine federalism. These piecemeal solutions will only deepen the nation’s multidimensional poverty,” Olaitan said.
Similarly, Afenifere’s Organizing Secretary, Abagun Kole Omololu, hailed the bill as a positive step for the South-West, praising Senator Daniel for sponsoring it. Omololu remarked that the commission could help fast-track the region’s development, especially in areas of infrastructure and ecological management.
Jare Ajayi, Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, also commended the Senate for passing the bill and expressed hope that the House of Representatives and the president would follow suit. He pointed out that once the bill is signed into law, the South-West region will benefit from additional federal allocations, boosting development alongside existing funds distributed to states and local governments.
While the establishment of the South-West Development Commission represents a significant move towards addressing regional concerns, Afenifere’s call for broader restructuring highlights an ongoing debate about the future of Nigeria’s federal system.
