By Ismaeel Uthman
A former governor of the State of Osun, Chief Adebisi Akande has stated that the aspiration of some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to succeed Governor Rauf Aregbesola does not amount to crack or clashes in the party.
According to Akande, the expression of ambition to become something in a political system is habitual and should not be misconceived to be a clash or division in the party.
The first Interim National Chairman of the APC made the statement in his country home, Ila-Orangun on Tuesday at a press conference as part of the activities to mark his 79th birthday.
Answering question on what the September 22, 2018 governorship election in the state would look like, Akande said: “I am an Osun man and I know that there is clamour, not clashes; there are people expressing ambition, and there is nothing wrong in that, and I don’t see wanting to become something mean cracks in a political party.
“The only thing is that many of the people wanting to become what, whether counselor, governor, commissioner, member of the assembly or even president, must not have it in mind that you are going there to trade.
“If you are going there to trade, you are going to end up liquidated. But if you are going there to serve genuinely, definitely, you will be successful.”
Speaking on national issues, Akande condemned the current presidential system of government in the country, just as he made case for parliamentary form of government.
Akande who said the presidential system of government could no longer sustain Nigeria’s growth and success, noted that it was difficult for President Muhammadu Buhari to run a successful government with the system in place.
“President Buhari is my friend and I want him to succeed but he is running a difficult system of government.
“Nigeria’s democracy is a military democracy of sharing and if we continue like this, there is no how we can succeed.
“Up to this present age, evidence based analysis has proven parliamentary democracy to be the most accountable and transparent form of government in the whole world.”
Instead of the presidential, Akande made case for multi-party parliamentary democracy, describing it as the best form of government for Nigeria if it wants to catch up with the rest of the civilised world.
He said that the American democratic system was too complicated and costly for a country of poor people with large illiteracy rate like Nigeria.
According to him, the Nigerian nation is currently running a difficult government under an unworkable setup.
He said: “The system is unworkable. Any law under any unworkable constitution is a bad law. They are doing a difficult thing under a very bad system. So long we continue with this form of system, Nigeria will not succeed.”
Akande who also faulted centralisation of power at the federal, insisted that police must be decentralised.
Listing countries like Isreal, UK, India and others that have succeeded with the parliamentary system, he said: “Apart from being transparent and very accountable, parliamentary democracy is absolutely inclusive. Therefore, it appears to be the best form of governmental structure for Nigeria now.
“Multi-party parliamentary democracy is the best form of government that is left available for Nigeria, if it wants to catch up with the rest of the civilised and rapidly developing world in the next decades before oil revenues will no longer be in vogue.”
