The group of 60 parliamentarians led by Hon. Kingsley Chinda, the Minority Leader of the 10th House of Reps, have met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Center Abuja.
The meeting followed the presentation of a Constitution amendment Bill sponsored by the group, seeking to replace the current presidential system with a parliamentary system of government.
Meeting Obasanjo is part of the group’s effort to engage critical stakeholders to drum support for the bill and to further stimulate conversations for an alternative to the presidential system which many Nigerians agree has failed their aspirations after many years of practice.
In his remarks, Chief Obasanjo welcomed the idea of a constitutional amendment, noted that Nigerians need a home grown system of government that encompasses her cultures and traditions: a sort of an “Afro-democracy”.
The former president agreed that western democracy and the presidential system of government introduced to most African countries has not yielded the desired expectations, hence the need to go back to what has worked for Africans pre-colonialism.
The group had earlier in February sponsored an amendment to the current constitution to give way for a parliamentary system which it considers less expensive, more responsive and accountable to the people.
The advocacy continues as Nigerians are encouraged to be part of the conversation for a better alternative governance system that would enable Nigeria achieve her full potentials.
“The whole idea is to have a people-oriented system of leadership and a governance system that is responsive and accountable to the electorates” Laori said.
By Shafi’u Saleh
