Nigeria's struggles are deeply ingrained, not coincidental — House of Representatives hopeful

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Warns: Without restructuring, real economic progress will remain out of reach

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By Luminous Jannamike

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ABUJA — An All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant for the Ijebu Central Federal Constituency in Ogun State, Adetomiwa Adetilewa, has blamed Nigeria’s worsening economic hardship on what he describes as a flawed constitutional structure that concentrates power at the centre and slows real development.

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He argued that Nigeria’s current struggles; nsecurity, poor electricity and limited access to basic services, are not random.

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According to him, they are the outcome of a system that leaves states and local governments with too little power to fix problems where they actually exist.

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Adetomiwa Adetilewa spoke during an interview with journalists, where he outlined his views on governance, economic reform and youth empowerment.

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“If we are to address the root of the problem, the number one issue is the legal framework governing our country. The current constitutional structure has effectively handicapped the people and limited their ability to prosper.

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“The current centralized policing system is ineffective. Each state should have the authority to design and manage its own police structure based on its peculiar needs. The federal police should focus on interstate and national crimes,” he said.

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He also identified land ownership laws as a major constraint on economic growth, noting that government control limits the ability of individuals to use land as collateral or build scalable businesses.

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On service delivery, he said experience has shown that heavy government dominance often leads to inefficiency, while private sector participation has helped bridge critical gaps, particularly in education and water supply.

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“In the past, access to education was limited due to insufficient government schools. However, private institutions have helped reduce illiteracy by expanding access. The same trend applies to water and other essential services,” he said.

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Adetilewa dismissed calls for a sovereign national conference, insisting that the National Assembly already has the authority to amend or replace the existing framework.

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“What is lacking is the political will. We should follow the constitutional amendment process to create a framework that truly reflects federalism and empowers the people,” he said.

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He called for sweeping reforms centred on fiscal federalism, resource control and decentralisation of power, warning that without restructuring, meaningful economic progress will remain out of reach.

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“There is a growing global demand for remote services. With the right infrastructure, reliable internet, stable electricity, and a conducive working environment, Nigerians can earn competitively and improve their standard of living,” he said.

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On unemployment, he said the problem goes beyond access to education, pointing instead to a mismatch between academic training and the demands of the global labour market.

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