Mixed reactions have continued to trail the demand by 72 House of Reps members for a bill to re-introduce a parliamentary system of government in Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the system was earlier practised in Nigeria between late 1950’s and part of 1960’s and was headed by the late Alhaji Tafawa Balewa as the Prime Minister while late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was the ceremonial President.
Mr Chike Uzoma, an Abuja-based Legal Practitioner, threw his weight behind the system, stating that it was less expensive than the Presidential system currently being practised.
According to him, “when you look at the British system of government, there is a way the parliamentary system works in England which is very straight”.
He said that the presidential system was very expensive to run, stressing that it was a capitalist system for a country that had already had enough fund to run it.
“In a presidential system, you have to maintain a bigger legislature where you have both the Senate and the House of Representatives and all of them have to be taken care of,” he said.
He added that the presidential system had the executive comprising the ministers, stressing that the judiciary was not exempted from this.
Mr Felix Ukachi, another legal practitioner, said that the problem bedeviling the country had nothing with the system of government being practised, but the personalities manning the system.
Ukachi added that the problem confronting the country had nothing to do with either bicamera or a unicamera system, noting that the practitioners were responsible for the country’s woes.
The legal practitioners said that any system of government that would be introduced would be saddled with the same human element problems.
According to him, the people have the rights to advocate for any system of government but such can never be a cure for the country’s problem.
He said that the challenge with the Nigeria problem was the human elements, citing the America system.
He stated that a similar system was being run with maximum results.
Mr Ekon Ejembiem, also a lawyer , said that the country could also try the parliamentary system, adding that it had tried the presidential system to no avail.
He said that the prime minister in parliamentary was more interactive with what happened on the strests and responsive to the people, adding that he could be impeached if he failed to perform.
According to him, parliamentary systen is always with checks and balances, it will bring governance closer to the people.
Mr Edoh Ukaya, an Abuja-based legal practitioner, said such introduction was uncertain, adding that there were more pressing issues than calling for a parliamentary system of government.
He said that such call was diversionary from the problem confronting the nation, stressing that such would not address the issue of security.
He said that those calling for such were doing it out of sentiments, adding that there was no need for reversal of the country’s presidential system. (NAN)
