Parliamentary System Is Best For Nigeria – Aregbesola

A former governor of Osun State and ex-minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has again reiterated calls for Nigeria’s return to the parliamentary system.

He said this at a National Dialogue on Home-Grown Parliamentary System in Abuja on Monday.

Osun Defender recalls that as Governor, Aregbesola introduced the parliamentary system of government to governance at the local government level with the election of only councillors, who elected amongst them, the presiding officers at their respective council areas.

According to experts in public finance and governance, the system assisted in reducing the cost of electioneering by over 50%, brought the government closer to the people and assisted in empowering councillors to effectively discharge their duties as enshrined in the constitution.

The former Minister, who said he is opposed to the executive system of government currently practiced in Nigeria, insisted that the arrangement in the parliamentary system is best suited for a country like Nigeria.

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He said, “If you go on believing that an individual, no matter how beautiful, no matter how good, could have the capacity to govern 120 million people all alone without checks, we are joking. So, by that consideration alone, I am opposed to the executive system of government.

“I believe the collective arrangement which the parliamentary system guarantees is best for a nation like Nigeria if indeed we are committed to advancing the interest of the large population and mass of our people.”