ACF declares readiness to support motion
Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, insists that adoption of a parliamentary system of government will be in the best interest of the country.
Speaking after over two hours’ closed-door meeting with the leadership of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Chinda underscored the need for a shift from the presidential system.
According to the green chamber caucus leader, issues relating to the implementation of policies of government are easily executed in a parliamentary system compared to what obtains under the presidential system.
He said: “We are here in continuation of our attempt to further explain to Nigerians the bills we have proposed on the floor of the House, which, we expect, will take us out of the present very laborious United States type of presidential system.
“But, what we are looking at is just a constitution review, a change of style that will reduce the baggage of government, a change of style that will make office holders more accountable, a change of style that will make government decisions arrived at easier and the execution carried out easier, a change of style that will make everybody in public office not to be a passer-by, not to be sleeping but to be on his toes, and to be the best to our country.”
CHAIRMAN, ACF Board of Trustees (BoT), Bashir Dalhatu, who expressed delight over the initiative, assured the delegation of the forum’s readiness to provide necessary support.
He said: “We have just concluded a very engaging and fruitful meeting, and members of the House of Representatives, the group advocating a return to parliamentary system of government. They have asked ACF to sit with them to discuss the issues and define the ways to associate and support.
“But we have agreed that, at the end, we are going to constitute a committee that will be working with the lawmakers to look at the draft bills they have prepared and to make suggestions and inputs we hope will, in the end, be for the best interest of Nigeria and our people.”
Dalhatu, who acknowledged the ingenuity of the lawmakers and how the proposed parliamentary system would address all forms of agitations, said: “There are many opinions, and there is a strong opinion that presidential system of government has run out of control, is too expensive and not working very well; therefore it is time people and the government started looking at better alternatives.”
