PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEM NOT BENEFICIAL FOR 24 YEARS- PROF ABDULLAHI 24-02-24
By Sadiq Aminu A former vice chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and convener of the Northern Elders Forum, Professor Ango Abdullahi, has declared support for the ongoing legislative campaign for Nigeria’s return to parliamentary system of government.
Professor Abdullahi who expressed the support in Abuja, showered encomium on Members of House of Representatives who sponsored the bills seeking for the adoption of Parliamentary system led by Abdulsamad Dasuki and Wale Raji who visited him in Abuja.
Professor Abdullahi argued that the military tele-guided the Constituent Assembly of 1976/77 to adopt either a French or American Presidential system of government.
He stated that since 1976, he never gave up on the Parliamentary system of government as it provides ground for accountability and quality leadership.
While stressing that the Parliamentary system of government as practiced in 1963 was not given sufficient time to thrive in the country, he averred that Nigerian project is not working because Nigerians don’t know its history.
Professor Abdullahi who was a member of the First Republic Parliament maintained that Parliamentary system of government worked for all and sundry, adding that the current Presidential system of government has failed to yield desired results over the past 24 years.
“If you are talking of failure of the system, it’s totally unfair to say that Parliamentary system failed in Nigeria. It has not. Only that it has not been given sufficient time.
“So, my personal position is that, I’m 100 percent against the presidential system of government, it’s an unsuitable system not only for Nigeria, but any country that is in this reckless, greedy western world. Because the democracy the western world is trying to force down the throat of every nation in the world is to serve their interest. And check honestly, academically, materially and so on, see what happened since 1960 till date.
“For 24 years now, you just show me where is the presidential system succeeds in terms of moving Nigeria forward? A country with 200 million that is generating 4000 megawatt of electricity. 4000 megawatt not enough for a big house in Europe?”
Professor Abdullahi who applauded the Parliamentarians for championing the campaign for a return to Parliamentary system of government, pledged unwavering support for the actualisation of the initiative.
Speaking earlier, Mr Wale Raji observed that the cost of governance.and election is higher under the Presidential system of government than the Parliamentary system of government.
According to him, Presidential system of government “is quite expensive for the nation’s economic situation and has hindered the desired economic development that the country deserves.
He disclosed that the delegation had earlier interacted with Alhaji Dantata who was a member of the First Republic Parliament, as well as Chief Bisi Akande who pledged their support.
On his part, Mr Abdulsamad Dasuki said their proposals included one bill for Local Government, one for the State, and one for Federal, in which they will like to kickstart with full autonomy and implementation of Local Government itself by 2027.