The Exclusive Legislative List And The Concurrent Legislative List - A Case For Restructuring Or Constitutional Defect?

Federalism in simple terms is the division of law-making powers and functions between two levels of government, so that general and regional governments are each within a sphere co-ordinate and independent.¹

This was confirmed by the Supreme Court in A.G. Federation v. A.G. Lagos State² where it was held that:

"Federalism is an arrangement whereby powers of government within a country are shared between a national, countrywide government and a number of regionalised (i.e., territorially localized) governments in such a way that each exists as a government separately and independently from others, operating directly on persons and property within its territorial area, with a will of its own and its own apparatus for the conduct of its affairs. Federalism is thus essentially an arrangement between government, a constitutional device by which powers within a country are shared among two tiers of government".