Prominent Nigerians including two top serving members of the House of Representatives have called for the adoption of home grown Parliamentary system of government in Nigeria.
The leaders Honourable Abdulsamaad Dasuki,Hon K.O Chinda,Dr Nnenadi Usman,Bello Fadile and a South African Parliamentarian, Professor Angelo Dube all agreed that the present presidential system cannot take the country anywhere as it is too expensive and far from the people.
They spoke individually at the Webinar on Parliamentary Reforms organized by Major General Ishola Williams led Panafricana Strategic And Policy Research (PANAFSTRAG) as part of its contribution to on going debate on the country’s political future.
Hon Abdulasamaad Dasuki,Leaders of the G60
Speaking the moderator,Dr Nnenadi Usman, identified accountability on the part of leaders based on their campaign promises as one of the instrument for holding leaders responsible.
She regretted that when leaders are elected based on inducements like money and other material things ,the people loose their right to talk and demand change because they have been compromised as their votes were bought.
“When people say no to rigging but demand responsiveness from their leaders then there will be change in the system and a situation where leaders tell lies without being challenged has created an irresponsive leadership”,she declared.
In his own submission,Barrister Sanni said that from a comparative analysis between 1960-1966 when Nigeria practises Parliamentary system witness a clear separation of role between the head of state and Prime Minister who had a dual role of being responsible to Parliament that elected him to power.
Moderator of Political Reforms Webnar
He contended that with Ministers accountable to the legislature that appointed them to office having been elected by the people,they are very close to the people.
He said that in the Presidential system there are many issues like cost of running which can hinder development and process being too cumbersome especially when it comes to financial discipline.
According to him,issue of money during Parliamentary system is less as members of the Parliament are also members of the executive .
As for Parliamentary system,he contended that members of the government are closer to the people who elected them into office unlike Ministers under Presidential system who owe allegiance only to the President who appointed them.
“Parliamentary system is better for us because since 1966 up till today,we have not moved from where we are when we got independence.”
This view was also shared by Dr Bello Fadile who described Presidential system as more of Selection than election adding that in Presidential system,all the enormous powers of the state lies with the President and they do what they like by appointing who they like who in turn are only loyal to them and nit to the parliament nor the people .
Said he,”In Presidential system,the legislatures are not accountable to the people but only the executive who even determines their leadership like the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“Because of that ,he is not subject to legislative controls as he also has enormous financial resources as not the state and local government are at his mercy. He can dish out money the way he wants.what is more,the federal character principle that says all states of the Federation must be represented in government makes the Presidential system winner takes all.” He declared.
Participant in Political Reforms Webnar
According to him,in a Presidential system that Nigeria has practiced over the years,the relationship between the government and the people is more of master servant relationship as he appoints who he wants,undermines institutions while the power of the president in the Judiciary surpasses all other institutions of state.
Fadile contended that over the years,President has failed to deliver on promises as it remains winner takes all as he concentrate on satisfying the politicians, appointees at the expense of the weak economy.
In his submission,Professor Angelo Dube,a parliamentarian of South Africa said its own presidential system devolves more power to the assembly as they elect the President who can also be fired by them.
This is just as he said political freedom of right of association is guaranteed to the people under its bicameral legislature.
Hon K O Chinda,G-60 member
In his contribution, Honorable Abdulsamaad Dasuki,leader of the G-60 legislative group in the House of Representatives pushing for return to Parliamentary system agrees with the three previous speakers as the Presidential system is too expensive adding that informs their decision to form the group to canvass for return the Parliamentary system.
Said he,”Our aim is not to copy and paste the Presidential system but to look at where we are coming from as àa nation and we can all see that there is something fundamentally wrong with the system.We have been able to meet some of the leaders who recommended the Presidential system and they are regretting they ever did”.
In the same vein,Hon KO Chinda,a member of the G-60 said the Presidential system can never develop the nation as the resources spent to run it is too humongous for the country to achieve growth.
While he said the huge financial system and cost of running the Presidential is legally right, it is immoral to continue to do so and expect the country to grow adding,”we have to rejig they system to produce a home grown Parliamentary system if we are to achieve development,growth and bring government closer to the people.”
Maj Gen Isola Williams,facilitator, PANAFSTRAG
Hon Chinda said in the Presidential system in operation,the parliament are hardly carried along in governance but said that in Parliamentary system,it will be faster and easier to implement government policy as you don’t need to be told to perform as a cabinet member since you can be called to question.
Also in his view,Editor of Newdawnngr.com,Tunde Abatan spoke of the need for the G-60 members to campaign vigorously among the House, the Senate and state houses of Assembly for the initiative to succeed as they are beneficiaries of the present system.
In conclusion,General Williams spoke of the need for African countries to learn from each other as South Africa today have the best system in the world adding that the reform should be that the President is elected by the parliament to ensure accountability.
The Webinar also canvassed the need for the G-60 to take their campaign for return to Parliamentary system to the grassroots explaining to the people why the new system will benefit them by bringing government closer to them.
