Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka,
yesterday took a swipe at the
presidential system of government
being practiced in Nigeria, describing
it as a model that breeds corrupt
leaders.
He also regretted that those who were
not elected bulldoze their ways into
public offices under the present
structure of governance.
Soyinka, who was among the panelists at
the inaugural Public Service Debate
convened by the Saint John’s Forum,
titled: Will Nigeria Be Better Served By A
Parliamentary System of Government?,
spoke in Lagos.
The event, which also had former
Minister of External Affairs, Mr. Odein
Ajumogobia, Deputy Senate President,
Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who was
represented by Prof Okechukwu Okoh, Dr.
Abduraufu Mustapha as panelists, was
moderated by former Commonwealth
Secretary General, Chief Emeka
Anyaoku.
Soyinka further stressed the need for a
public discourse on the structure of
government that can guarantee fair
representation of Nigerians, adding that
the public became critiques of the
presidential system of government
because it is close to kleptomania.
In addition, he argued that unlike
parliamentary democracy, the current
system of government in Nigeria, is
prone to manipulation.
According to Soyinka: ‘’Parliament
reminds me of the organisation that I
belong to, the international parliament
of writers. The organisation does not
make law and does not belong to any
constituency. Whatever system of
government you operate, is determined
by so many factors. There is a straight
line between dishonourable members and
what Nigeria is going through. Yerima is
one of those that make laws but he
defiles the law. We need a public
discourse on a structure that guarantees
representation of the people. Those who
were never elected bulldoze their ways to
the hallowed House.
‘’You cant say that after the civil war,
people can’t examine the protocol that
bind them. The cost of democracy in the
two systems, which is cheaper and less
open to manipulation? Which one
encourages corruption? The public
became critiques of the presidential
system because it is close to kleptomania.
Presidential system breeds corrupt
leaders.’’
Source: Vanguard
yesterday took a swipe at the
presidential system of government
being practiced in Nigeria, describing
it as a model that breeds corrupt
leaders.
He also regretted that those who were
not elected bulldoze their ways into
public offices under the present
structure of governance.
Soyinka, who was among the panelists at
the inaugural Public Service Debate
convened by the Saint John’s Forum,
titled: Will Nigeria Be Better Served By A
Parliamentary System of Government?,
spoke in Lagos.
The event, which also had former
Minister of External Affairs, Mr. Odein
Ajumogobia, Deputy Senate President,
Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who was
represented by Prof Okechukwu Okoh, Dr.
Abduraufu Mustapha as panelists, was
moderated by former Commonwealth
Secretary General, Chief Emeka
Anyaoku.
Soyinka further stressed the need for a
public discourse on the structure of
government that can guarantee fair
representation of Nigerians, adding that
the public became critiques of the
presidential system of government
because it is close to kleptomania.
In addition, he argued that unlike
parliamentary democracy, the current
system of government in Nigeria, is
prone to manipulation.
According to Soyinka: ‘’Parliament
reminds me of the organisation that I
belong to, the international parliament
of writers. The organisation does not
make law and does not belong to any
constituency. Whatever system of
government you operate, is determined
by so many factors. There is a straight
line between dishonourable members and
what Nigeria is going through. Yerima is
one of those that make laws but he
defiles the law. We need a public
discourse on a structure that guarantees
representation of the people. Those who
were never elected bulldoze their ways to
the hallowed House.
‘’You cant say that after the civil war,
people can’t examine the protocol that
bind them. The cost of democracy in the
two systems, which is cheaper and less
open to manipulation? Which one
encourages corruption? The public
became critiques of the presidential
system because it is close to kleptomania.
Presidential system breeds corrupt
leaders.’’
Source: Vanguard
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