60 Lawmakers Seek Return Of Nig To Paliamentary System

60 Members of the House of Representatives have presented three Bills seeking to return the country to parliamentary system at the Federal, State and Local Government effective from 2031.

The bills seeking to alter relevant sections of the 1999 constitution as amended was read for the first time at Plenary.

Nigeria operated a parliamentary system of government from independence in 1960 until the first military coup in 1966.

However, when democratic rule was restored in 1979, the country changed to a presidential system of government.

Briefing news men in Abuja, the spokesperson of the sponsors of the Parliamentary Bills, which cuts across party affiliations and regional backgrounds, Mr. Abdussamad Dasuki, said if passed into law, the bills among other things would reduce the cost of Governace in the country, as well as make the Government more accountable and responsive.

“The presidential system of government Operating since 1979, the country has been bedeviled with several challenges which includes high cost of governance, which leaves less resources for infrastructure, education, healthcare amongst other developmental projects”.

Mr. Dasuki explained that the founding fathers of the country in their wisdom, at independence, adopted the parliamentary system of government where legislative and executive powers were exercised by lawmakers, with its many benefits.

According to him, “the collapse of the First Republic and the long stretch of military rule culminated in the adoption of a new system of government, theoretically fashioned after the Presidential System of the United States but in practice imbibed the uttermost attributes of military rule“.

Mr. Dasuki emphasized that the fundamental changes outlined in the bills include replacing the President with a Prime minister to serve as the head of Government and establishing the office of the president as a ceremonial leader.

The Spokesperson said the Sponsors would raise awareness about this significant development and encourage constructive dialogue on the potential implications of these proposed constitutional alterations.

By Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji