Amidst clamour for the reduction of cost of governance in Nigeria, Zamani Lekwot, a former military governor of Rivers State, has called for urgent restructuring of the National Assembly, saying that the federal legislature as presently structured was too expensive for the country to sustain.
Nigeria operates a bicameral legislature (two arms- Senate and House of Representatives), framed after the United States system. However, in recent years, there has been increased clamour for a return to parliamentary system of government which the country operated in the First Republic.
Observers argue that the current system was too expensive for the country to maintain, while seeking constitution reforms that would return the country to regional government or unicameral legislature.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with BDSUNDAY at the weekend, Lekwot said that the current system was a disservice to Nigerians, stressing that it was unfortunate that the bulk of the wealth of the country was being used to maintain a few group of individuals.
“What is happening is a disservice to Nigerians; personally I believe the current system is not sustainable and changes must be made,” he said.
“Look at the amount the legislators are earning as salaries and the President signed the national minimum wage of N30, 000 and up till now they have refused to implement it,” Lekwot said.
Lekwot, who was a former Nigerian Ambassador and High Commissioner to Senegal, Mauritania, Cape Verde and the Gambia, further said the continued clamour for the restructuring of the country was an ideal that could be look into.
Speaking on the security situation across the country, he disagreed with the call for the change of the Service Chiefs by President Muhammadu Buhari, urging Nigerians to be more proactive to security issues.
“The issue of restructuring is something that could be looked into, either regional restructuring or whatever you call it. But I believe just sacking the Service Chiefs is not necessarily the solution to the security crisis; we need to join hands and support them,” he said.
“But I am happy that the Nigerian Police Force is now engaging the public through their community relation effort,” he added.
He further expressed confidence in the judiciary to deliver justice in the disputed 2019 presidential election result being challenged by the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate Atiku Abubakar.
Iniobong Iwok
