By MBACHU GODWIN Abuja
National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam has criticized those advocating the return of parliamentary system of government, saying that parliamentary system is not the solution to the country’s woes.
Gabam who featured in the Channels television show “Politics Today” on the State of the Nation, Monday night, insisted that presidential system of government which was borrowed from the United States of America was not the problem of the country but massive corruption.
He noted that what the presidential system of government needed was an adjustment to suit the operating Nigerian environment.
The party czar argued that the massive corruption and the lack luster attitude of previous and current government to tackle corruption has made the presidential system impotent and not succeeding, he queried why the presidential system is working in America but not working in Nigeria.
” Presidential system of government was a copy cat from the United States of America , why is it working in America but not working here, you can say is there no corruption in America , yes, there is but there is control . If they think that Presidential system of government is expensive, what stops them from adjusting and creating deterrents from people stealing money who are allowed to walk free by those supposed to prosecute them.
How do we reset the country when the Judiciary and the National Assembly are on their knees, they have the power but cannot do it . The basic institution that will do it are compromised. The National Assembly who will perform oversight function are in bed with the executive, who will do it?.
I agree with you , who will implement it , that is the issue, this National Assembly I know , you know don’t have the capacity, patriotism to do it, if they can allow these nonsense to be going on and you are talking of resetting, they cannot allow it anything that will affect them. Where we are now, we are trapped”.
Fielding question on what he will do if he has opportunity, he called for reorientation of critical sector especially the political recruiting process
“For us to reset the system, we have to engage in a massive reorientation of the critical sector concentrating on the youths because they have 70% of the votes. We have to know who comes to the National Assembly, governors and the executives. You have to send people that understand the constitution and rules of the Senate. You cannot keep on electing half becks and you expect things to change
The National Assembly will not allow to reset the system that will affect them. How do you expect the National Assembly to reset the system when most of them don’t understand the constitution and rules of the Senate, there is no other way unless we elect those who can oversight the excess of the executive”.
Speaking further, the party Chieftain called for the strengthening of other sister security agencies, Civil Defence, Federal Road Safety Commission, Nigerian Customs to boost the fight against insecurity, noting that the state police been proposed will not work due to lack of funding .
