There have been discussions and counterdebates over the ideal type of democratic government for Nigeria since 1999, when the country started its transition from military to civil authority after more than 15 years of military dictatorship.
While some contend that Nigeria’s current presidential system of government, which was implemented between 1979 and 1983 and is modeled after the United States, is still the best option for the country, others favor a return to the parliamentary system that the British gave to Nigeria upon its independence in 1960.
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Those advocating a return to parliamentarianism—a system that Nigeria’s colonial overlords, Britain, imposed on the nation in 1960—have said that it would guarantee accountability and eradicate government waste.
They contend that such a form of governance would eliminate the need for the Senate and the House of Representatives, the nation would be able to function with a unicameral legislature instead, which is less costly and less laborious.
They contended that this would result in a significant reduction in the funding required to operate a bicameral legislature.
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Remember that in a parliamentary system of government, the prime minister, or head of state, is selected from among the members of the legislature. Always, he or she represents the political party with the majority in the legislature. Additionally, ministers are chosen from among legislators. The system’s proponents contended that doing thus would minimize the expense of government.
But proponents of the presidential system, which was adopted from the US in 1979, have also said that it guarantees checks and balances because the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government are all prohibited from acting arbitrarily.
They contend that total power corrupts absolutely and that each branch of government must function as a watchdog to restrain the other’s excesses in order to keep a power-hungry politician from robbing the people of their rights.
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They contend that the current system needs to be changed to take into account Nigeria’s unique characteristics, which are demonstrated by its diversity.
However, the debate is refusing to end. The debate has persisted, with the House of Representatives delving deeper into the case for Nigeria to switch back to a parliamentary form of government in light of the nation’s existing economic circumstances.
A bill to bring Nigeria back to parliamentary democracy was approved on Wednesday of last week in the national assembly’s lower legislative chamber during its first reading.
About sixty MPs from all parties have co-sponsored the bill, which is anticipated to be gazetted for a second reading before being referred to the Ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Review, led by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, for additional legislative activities.
After the bill failed its first reading, Wale Raji briefed journalists at the National Assembly (NASS) complex in Abuja. He explained that the purpose of the proposed bill was to start a discussion about the possibility of switching from the current presidential system of government to a less costly parliamentary one.
If the bill is signed into law, the new form of government would take effect in 2031.
“We expect that the current administration may not necessarily be involved in the process’ conclusion. We anticipate that it will last longer than 2027, with a possible start date of 2031. We’ve only started the process gradually,” he said.
“Today, we stand on the cusp of history as lawmakers from different parties and regions, to present bills proposing constitutional alterations for a transition to a Parliamentary System of Government,” said Hon. Abdusamad Dasuki, speaking on behalf of the 60 lawmakers who sponsored the bill.
He pointed out the flaws in the current presidential system, such as the high cost of governance, the abuse of executive power, and the absence of direct accountability to the people, among other things, while also acknowledging that the proposed change, if approved, would have a significant impact on the political landscape of the country.
The bill aims to bring Nigeria back to the First Republic’s responsiveness, accountability, and responsibility—a style of administration that was ultimately less costly.
The laws propose to establish the position of the President as a ceremonial leader and to replace the President with a Prime Minister as the Head of Government.
In an effort to improve coordination between the legislative and executive branches of government, additional changes that were suggested included moving the process of choosing governors and chairmen of local governments from general elections to internal voting within their respective legislative bodies.
Dasuki and his team believe that electing representatives from the parliament might reduce the amount of money spent on state and national campaigns, and that a more efficient executive branch could result in a smaller central government and lower expenses.
The law also seeks to start a national dialogue about the future of Nigeria’s governance structure by promoting open discussions, stakeholder consultations, and well-informed decision-making procedures.
Dr. Pogu Bitrus, the head of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), remarked on the change, stating that although Nigerians would save money under the parliamentary system, the current presidential system might still benefit Nigerians if it were properly adjusted.
Even though he supported the parliamentary system, he emphasized that Nigeria needed reform in order to adapt the current presidential system to the country’s demands.
He added that Nigerians would have to debate the issue before deciding whether or not the nation would go back to the legislative system.
“I think there is still room to improve and adjust the American system that we adopted to better serve this country,” he declared. To ensure that there are some truly excellent representations, all we have to do is reform the nation.
Making sure the western system we imitated is not a holistic endeavor is another thing. We ought to adjust it to suit our own quirks. Although it is less expensive than the presidential system, the parliamentary system would undoubtedly benefit us. Nigerians should discuss the pros and cons of each system to determine which is best for their country.
“But even with restructuring, I think our current presidential system will continue to work well for us.”
Hon. Yusuf Shehu, a former member of the Katsina State House of Assembly, stated that he fully supported the country’s decision to go back to a parliamentary style of government.
According to him, Nigeria benefits most from the system, which is why the British who colonized the nation left it in place when it gained independence.
Remember that Great Britain, our colonial overlords, gave us this system. Before presenting the system to us, they gave us our constitution and took into account our characteristics. They are aware that this is the best system available to us, I think.
“Secondly, the system fosters unity and is less costly. The tribes, cultures, and religions of Nigeria are diverse. The British were aware of this diversity prior to enacting the parliamentary system since it would accommodate our disparate customs and cultural practices.
Keep in mind that the military imposed the presidential system on us in 1979 after copying it from America. It is not familiar to us. Comparing the two systems, the parliamentary system is substantially less expensive. The prime minister is chosen from among the ministers under the parliamentary system.
“Under the presidential system, the center is more powerful than the states; this shouldn’t be the case. Under the parliamentary system, the states or federating units are more powerful than the center.
“If we were in a parliamentary state, even the recent requests for the establishment of a state police would not have occurred because the state would have been constitutionally empowered to handle matters such as natural resources, security, and other issues.
Thus, the measure to put Nigeria back under parliamentary government is a good idea. It even passed the second reading, I found out. In order for it to become law in Nigeria, we are therefore anticipating the third reading prior to the presidential assent.
He declared, “I fully support the move, and the current state of affairs in Nigeria calls for a comprehensive review of the constitution.”
Alhaji Yerima Shettima, the head of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF), also supported the demand for a return to the parliamentary form of government in his presentation.
According to him, the presidential system would produce good leaders rather than the underprivileged, inept, and mediocre lot of leaders it currently fosters.
“I have no issue with the parliamentary system of government because our politicians’ exploitation of the center will not bode well for the foreseeable future,” he declared.
“It won’t be good for us in the near future if every Tom, Dick, and Harry could just go to the center and get the blessing of one Godfather.
Additionally, we are unable to continue with a system in which governors simply fold their arms, sit down, and wait for miracles to happen.
Therefore, in my opinion, the states can only become more viable until we have a parliamentary system in place. The states won’t start using their resources until then.
This is due to the fact that the constitution will specify the proportion that each state or territory will give the center. In this way, the center will lose its appeal, and we will then start producing decent leaders because, whether you have money or not, you are good to go as long as you come from a community that can attest to your good antecedents.
“However, you don’t expect to produce good leaders under the current system where someone in Abuja will force an armed robber or a fraudster on the people.”
Because it works for Nigeria, I support the parliamentary form of governance. We don’t need to take from America or Russia since they are not the same as us; that is what works for us as a nation. Furthermore, individuals in other nations are not our same.
“As Nigerians, we have to be able to work with things that we believe will be beneficial to us and good for us.
Thus, I applaud the parliamentary form of government, which is also the one that can provide Nigerians with the state police that everyone is talking about.
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