The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has said that the functionality of the nation’s federalism was being hampered by poor management of resources and not by constitutional defects.

He noted that beyond policy, Nigeria needed patriots, including citizens, leaders and institutions, ready to be counted, in order to establish a federation that serves the people.

According to a release by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima made the observation on Tuesday in Abuja during the 7th edition of annual Leadership Conference & Awards held at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja.

Represented by the Special Adviser, General Duties to the President (Office of the Vice President), Dr. Aliyu Modibbo, Shettima noted that the Nigerian challenge, when carefully considered, “lies less in the structure of our federalism and more in the deficit of our collective fiscal responsibility.”

He said: “To improve our federalism, we must not lose sight of the dysfunctions that have been allowed to fester under the current system.

If we at the national level deliver on our promises, if our governors manage their allocations with prudence, if our local governments are truly autonomous and accountable, if every kobo is deployed with the people’s interest in mind, then the structure will serve us well.”

The Vice President said, rather than mould Nigeria’s federal system after the ones in Canada and parts of Europe, efforts and attention should be focused more on reforming to meet the country’s unique realities.

He highlighted current efforts by the administration of the President to confront some of the challenges with the federal system, noting that it was the only path to sustainable development.