A bill before the House of Representatives seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to return Nigeria to the parliamentary system of government on Thursday passed the first reading at plenary.
The bill which was sponsored by 71 members of the House was presented at plenary on Thursday.
Addressing newsmen, some of the sponsors of the bill condemned the current presidential system describing it as “bloated and expensive,” saying that a parliamentary system would benefit Nigerians more.
Nicholas Ossai, PDP, representing Ndokwa/ Ukwani (Delta State), who introduced himself as the secretary of the group of lawmakers said more lawmakers would join “this process to change Nigeria,” insisting that the country’s economic system must effectively change.
He highlighted the economic benefits of a parliamentary system and why the lawmakers wanted to change the governance structure of the country.
“Seventy-one of us sponsored that bill. Our position in this legislation clearly points to compelling advantages of a parliamentary system of government to economic growth and development, as well as its inherent efficiency in the conduct of government business.
“Studies have shown empirically that countries run by presidential system consistently produce lower output growth, higher and more volatile inflation and greater income inequality relative to those under parliamentary ones. Little wonder the rich continue to be richer whilst the poor get poorer, and we have become the poverty capital of the world.”
He added, “There are countless empirical records which show that output growth under presidential systems are in zero points (negative) while output growth under parliamentary systems clocks from one point and above (positive). Great Britain is an example. France is another example. Australia is also an example of countries with high positive output.
“Even when Nigeria was practising it in 1960, if you see the output and the growth in terms of employment rate that Nigeria witnessed, you will marvel but the military took over and gave us the presidential system of government in 1979, and that system has not increased any economic benefit for our country.
“In 1983, the military struck again, and came back in 1999 to impose a constitution with presidential system of government that has been complex; a system that the bureaucracies are in two key areas. There is the Presidency. Under the Presidency you will see a lot of agencies within the bureaucratic setting, different from the civil service bureaucracy. You could see that the result of this is a high cost in governance.”
He also noted that inflation was on average six percentage points higher in countries run by presidential system, than those under parliamentary systems and that income inequality under presidential systems was worse when compared with that of parliamentary or hybrid systems of government.
The lawmaker listed other disadvantages of a presidential system to include high unemployment, slow passage of legislation, political and economic instability.
He said further, “Due to the excessive powers domiciled in one man under the presidential system, consensus building that is often required for economic decision is always lacking. If it is under a parliamentary system, the prime minister is part of the legislature.
READ ALSO: We didn’t endorse Buhari for second term – CAN
“The over-centralisation of government decisions that is prevalent in a presidential system obstructs economic development when compared to the parliamentary or hybrid system.
“The point has also been made that the too powerful nature of the presidential office, often leads to greater fluctuations in the economy with the change of office. This was witnessed in Nigeria in 2015 and currently being experienced as we prepare for the 2019 general elections. Such volatility is evidenced by sharper electoral cycles under presidential systems than that of parliamentary systems.
“The decentralisation of powers in parliamentary system helps to douse tensions in countries – like Nigeria – where ethnicity, race, religious differences and ideological divisions are prevalent, thereby promoting peace and unity which are ingredients for economic growth and development.”
The bill by the lawmakers is coming at time when many voices are raised in the call to restructure the country.
The group of lawmakers is chaired by Kingsley Chinda, PDP, representing Obio/Akpor, River State.
