Juliet Akoje in Abuja
Former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, and leader of the South-south and Pan Niger Delta Forum, Chief Edwin Clark, have pledged support for the proposed bill seeking to return the country to the parliamentary system of government.
Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, while speaking during the meeting with Clark at his residence, noted that the lawmakers were under pressure to bring the needed changes to governance.
He claimed that the current presidential system of government was too cumbersome with little or no value to the country, considering its diversity and background.
Chinda stated that, “We need an homegrown structure that would put into consideration our background and craft our laws, hence collectively resolved that the present style of presidential system that we are running in Nigeria is too cumbersome for our country, for our background, for our experience and cannot in any way be repaired as we stand today”
He maintained that the country needed to change her structure slightly and come up with a structure that soothes her setting and environment.
He noted that with the extant laws, “a governor, a President can run the state or the country for four years without talking to Nigerians, there’s no offence, he has committed no offence against our laws.
“That is why you will hear the likes of Garba Shehu, Ngelale, talking to Nigerians instead of the number one citizen of the country
“No offence is committed, during COVID all of us were here, other countries were having briefing weekly by their president, our president did not do it, then we have committees that were talking to Nigerians, and when they goofed, then he will come up to say it was not from us.
“So, we must have a system where Public office holders including ourselves that you have elected will be more accountable to you, the people. A system where public office holders will be hands-on, it’s not to administer the people by proxy. And all that we have put together.”
Speaking after a closed door meeting with the Parliamentarians, former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba said Parliamentary system of government is “most economical, and goes after devolution of power.
“The centre is too loaded. I gave them the example of primary education, primary education is cultural and then you start with your own language.
“How can somebody in Abuja stays here and want to control the primary education in Kanuri, in Sokoto, in Bayelsa, in Ogun State, we are different culture. In the Middle Belt, it is not possible.
“Take for example, security. Security is very local. When people kidnap, if you meet security local, people who know their terrain will easily know where these terrorists are hiding. We have to devolve power.
Clark in his remarks, while applauding the Parliamentarians’ initiative, maintained that, “the restructuring of Nigeria can no longer wait, otherwise there will be no Nigeria.
“The Constitution drawn in London rejected by Nigerians who after the country became a Republic in 1963, collectively ‘decided to have an homegrown Constitution in 1963. Today, in your own country, the president is all-in-all.
“President can approve the appointment of Mr. B as messenger, President can appoint so so so, everything President in federal government’s name as if he’s the only person, the emperor of this country.”
On his campaign for restructuring, Clark who is will turn 96 on tomorrow, Thursday, presented a book titled: ‘Brutally Frank’ to the Minority Leader, in which he devoted a whole chapter on restructuring of Nigeria, adding that “the restructuring of Nigeria can no longer wait, otherwise there will be no Nigeria.”
