December 13, 2018Nasir Ayitogo
National Assembly Complex
National Assembly Complex
A bill to amend the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria to reintroduce a parliamentary system of government has passed first reading in the House of Representatives.

The bill sponsored by 71 members seeks to change the system of government from presidential to parliamentary where the government will be run by the parliament.

One of the major differences between these two systems is that in a presidential system, the president is directly voted into power by the people while in a parliamentary system, the legislature is supreme and elects a prime minister from among members of parliament as head of government.

There is also no clear separation of powers in the system between the legislature and the executive as the ministers are also appointed from parliarment.

Nigeria practised the British-styled “Westminster” parliamentary system until the collapse of the First Republic on January 15, 1966 when the military took power.

The 1979 Constitution introduced the country to the US-styled presidential system of government, with framers of the constitution largely citing the tensions and acrimonious politics of the First Republic as reasons.

Prominent amongst the sponsors of the bill are Abdussamad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto), Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno), Nicholas Ossai (PDP, Delta), Ossey Prestige (APGA, Abia) and Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers).

Addressing journalists at the National Assembly on Thursday, the lawmakers said the parliamentary system of government will help achieve economic growth and development in the country.

“We are 71 bi-partisan members of the House of Representatives, who feel that the parliamentary system of government promulgated by the Lyttleton Constitution of 1954 is the best for Nigeria since the presidential system has reduced us to the poverty capital of the world.”

The lawmakers further said the parliamentary systems helps in quick passage of economic bills due to the fusion of power that it embodies.

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https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/300934-71-nigerian-lawmakers-demand-return-to-parliamentary-system-of-govt.html

The Nigerian construct is a sham!