Seventy-one prominent members of the House of Representatives cutting across political party divides on Thursday denounce the presidential system of government for the parliamentary system saying that the presidential system came with a high system of misgorvanance in Nigeria.
The group made their position public at a press briefing at the House Press Corps White House National Assembly where they said that the parliamentary system is the best political and economic system best suited for Nigeria in this 21st century.
The formation of the group is a fallout of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill 2018 sponsored by Hon. Kingsley Chinda (Rivers,PDP) and seventy/other lawmakers of the green chamber of the apex legislature.
Some members of the bipartisan group notably Hon. Osai N Osai (Delata,PDP), Hon. Musa Soba (Kaduna,PDP), Hon. Sergius Ogun (Edo,PDP) and Hon.Dr Abubakar Amuda-Kannike spoke at the briefing denouncing the presidential system of government for loosing grip of economic prosperity, political development and growth for Nigeria in all ramifications.
According to them, studies had shown that the presidential system of government stultifies economic growth, engenders slow passage of legislations, exacerbates unemployment and is the breeding ground for political instability.
The lawmakers cited classic examples of parliamentary system of government in other climes including United Kingdom, Australia and Pakistan noting that these nations are at the peak of economic progress since there is condensus building which helped them to douse political tensions in those nations.
The presidential system according to the lawmakers is slow and cumbersome as it comes with many agencies of the Executive arm of government with huge cost on the government.
They had accused the military of foisting a presidential system that has battered and bastardised the economic fortunes of Nigeria and canvassed the returned of parliamentary government as one built on solid economic base that would propel the needed growth and development.
This system of government would help to douse the tensions in the political system and usher in more progress for the nation as more money would be ployed into the economic system.
A staunch member of the group Hon.Tahir Monguno (Borno, APC) who also denounced it said that the presidential system of government is very expensive and is not well suited for a prural society such as Nigeria.
Some other group members as Hon.Gabriel Onyewife (Anambra,PDP), Hon.Sergius Ogun (Edo,PDP) and Hon. Musa Soba (Kaduna, PDP) also spoke in like manner saying that it is the parliamentary system of government that holds a future filled with hopes for a new generation of Nigerians.
Soba particularly pointed out that if we do not lay a solid foundation for the country, future generation of citizens of Nigeria would have nothing to hold unto in the nearest future.