Ayo Opadokun, a prominent leader of Afenifere, has urged Bola Tinubu to restore Nigeria’s parliamentary system of government, the framework upon which the country gained its independence.
In an interview conducted in Lagos on Sunday, Mr. Opadokun, who also serves as the secretary-general of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), emphasized the need for Nigeria to return to the parliamentary system it practiced between 1960 and 1966.
According to Mr. Opadokun, re-adopting the parliamentary system would help resolve the governance and development issues currently facing the nation.
He noted that during the First Republic, when Nigeria operated under the parliamentary system, the country excelled in all key indicators of good governance and development.
Mr. Opadokun further argued that the presidential system, imposed by the military, has hindered the country’s progress and has been an obstacle to achieving its national aspirations.
“It is important to note that NADECO has been advocating the country’s return to the parliamentary form of government even before Tinubu became the president. It was the military that abrogated the federal constitution when they captured Nigeria in 1966.
“They later foisted upon us an executive presidential system that is only practised in the U.S. They didn’t give enough thought to what they did. One of the important things that should be done by the present administration is to return Nigeria to the constitutional governance upon which we secured our independence,” he said.
Mr. Opadokun highlighted that the parliamentary system of government ensured the efficient management of resources across the country’s diverse regions when it was in place.
He also noted that the parliamentary system is cost-effective and fosters accountability, as it holds leaders directly responsible to the citizens.
While acknowledging the importance of restructuring, Mr. Opadokun pointed out that many of the issues restructuring aims to address could be resolved by reinstating the parliamentary system.
The Afenifere leader expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s ability to provide effective governance, citing his strong economic expertise. He urged the president to use this expertise to swiftly pull the country out of its current economic challenges.
Mr. Opadokun further stated that, given President Tinubu’s extensive political experience and his commitment to serving the nation, he is well-positioned to reintroduce the parliamentary system in Nigeria.
“He knows what we fought for, but he should not leave the constitutional issue till he has accomplished his economic turnaround, which is a bread-and-butter matter.
“It is also necessary and important, but the much more fundamental matter is a return to the federal constitutional arrangement upon which we secured our independence.
“That is the only thing that will put his name in gold because Nigerians did not request a centralised form of governance,” he said.
(NAN)
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