From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Northern politicians, on the aegies of League of Northern Democrats( LND), has advocated for reforms in the government institutions, in the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution ( as amended).
The chairman of the LND, and former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, in a position presented at a national dialogue on parliamentary system of government, on Monday, in Abuja, said the problem of the country was not the system of government.
Shekarau, while noting that the presidential system of government a stable executive structure, said it is plagued by high costs and inefficiencies that detracts from its potentials.
Consequently, the former governor stated that there was need for a reform of the system, so as to address the challenges.
According to him, ” while the presidential system provides a stable executive structure, it remains plagued by high costs and inefficiencies that undermine its potential.
“To address these issues, we advocate for significant structural adjustments:
Streamline the Legislature: We can enhance efficiency by eliminating the bicameral structure and maintaining only one legislative chamber, thus reducing redundancy and operational costs.
“Restricting federal ministries to three per geopolitical zone will curb excessive spending on ministerial portfolios while allowing for focused and impactful governance.
” Over half of the current federal agencies are redundant and could be streamlined or merged to cut unnecessary expenditures without compromising effectiveness, ” amongst others.
He added that “in this pivotal moment, we must continue to embrace a system that consolidates our differences and transforms them into strength for a united Nigeria.”