The French type presidential system of government is a mixture of both the presidential and parliamentary systems.
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
The 3rd edition of TheNiche Annual lecture was held Thursday, September 8, in a hall full of intellectuals, politicians, business moguls, traditional rulers, and ordinary folks.
Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, who was former Liaison Officer to President Shehu Shagari and founding member of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), rouse the audience when he suggested that Nigeria should jettison the American-style presidential system of government and replace it with the French type presidential system of government.
The French type presidential system of government is a mixture of both the presidential and parliamentary systems.
The guest speaker, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), who was the former Lagos State Governor and current Minister of Works and Housing, delivered the paper titled 2023 elections and future of Nigeria’s democracy, which elicited enormous reactions from the discussants and the general audience.
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Fashola’s paper dwells on the argument that the calibre of people elected into office determines the quality of democratic dividends that would be delivered to the people.
One of the discussants, Prof Victor Chukwuma, a Professor of Physics at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, said democracy is much more than the system of governance, but an understanding of the circumstances that make a people live together under the concept of justice, law and freedom. He said if people do not understand their rights, they can be manipulated in a democracy. He stressed that the electorates must be educated on their rights and duties.
For Funke Treasure, who represented Martins Oloja, Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian, she lamented that the presidential system of government in Nigeria has failed the people, with many Nigerians now seeking how to leave the county in search of a better alternative elsewhere.
On his part, Dr Dakuku Peterside, a former member House of Representatives, who also was a former DG NIMASA, also bemoaned the situation in the country where the youths have been leaving in droves. He wondered who would be left to rebuild the country.
But Ene Obi, who is an activist and the Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, said the next election gives the opportunity for the people to make their choice. She noted that with the introduction of the BVAS machine, power has gone back to the people.
TheNiche annual lecture inducted some people into its hall of fame, including the 2015 presidential candidate of KOWA party, Remi Sonaiya, the pioneer chairman of Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Professor Anya O Anya, former Liason officer of President Shehu Shagari, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, former diplomat, Dr Christopher Kolade and former Lagos State Governor, who also is the Minister of Works, Babatunde Raji Fashola.