Committee recommends ‘modified’ presidential system

The National Conference Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government has recommended what it called “modified presidential system of government” for the country.

In this regard, the committee recommended that presidential candidates must run as sole candidates while the winner of the election should pick his deputy among the members of the National Assembly.

The report of the committee, headed by Gen. Ike Nwachukwu (retd.), and Mr. Mohammed Kuamila, was debated by the delegates on Wednesday.

The report said, “There shall be a candidate for an election to the office of the president and he or she shall run as a sole candidate. There shall be a Vice President for the federation but the president-elect shall select him from the legislature. The president shall exercise full responsibility for his government and he shall select the ministers from the legislature.”

The members of the committee also resolved that these provisions as applicable to the President “shall apply mutatis mutandi (making only necessary changes) with regard to the election of the governor and the government under his charge.

On legislature, the committee said “there shall be a unicameral legislature, whose members’ tenure shall be full time.”

It said that the membership distribution of the legislature should be 50 per cent based on equity of states and 50 per cent based on population.

The committee added that the tenure of members of the legislature should be four years, without term limit, but subject to re-election at the end of each term.

It also suggested the adoption of a staggered election system and to effect this, the committee said that two contiguous constituencies should produce one representative, adding that after two years, election should be conducted in the constituency, other than those of the current member.

Concerning power rotation, the committee said that the Electoral Act and the constitution of the political parties should provide for the principle of zoning and rotation of elective positions at the federal and state levels on the basis of equity, justice and fairness.

The rotation, it said, must also take into cognizance the participation of women, youths and the physically challenged in the political process and the domestication of the convention for the elimination of discrimination against women.