Why we adopted parliamentary system at LG level
— Aregbesola
GOVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, has disclosed that his administration adopted the Parliamentary System of Government to deepen democracy, as well as entrench genuine democratic practice atthe grassroots.
He said it was the overwhelming wish of the people, as stated in the report of the Mr. Gbadegesin Adedeji led committee on political reforms he set up that parliamentary system of government is adopted.
Governor Aregbesola made the disclosure at the swearing-in ceremony for Councillors representing wards in the Local Governments, Local Council Development Areas, Area Councils and Administrative Offices, held at the state secretariat, Abere, Osogbo.
According to him, the experience in the First Republic will attest to the fact that parliamentary system deepens democracy and offers far greater political representation and governance effectiveness than any other system.
He said the parliamentary system is more democratic, than the executive, in that the executive system tends towards dictatorship and absolutism since power is concentrated in one man’s hand, with little or no check.
He said: “Our decision is not against the constitution. Nowhere did it mention executive or parliamentary – only that it must be democratic – and parliamentary system is as democratic as you can ever get.” “You will recall that in 2012, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria asked for a memorandum on the review of the 1999 Constitution.
A 15-man committee was set up in Osun under the chairmanship of Mr. Gbadegesin Adedeji to aggregate the opinions and views of the state.” “The committee held public sittings for three weeks during which members of the public, institutions, nongovernmental organisations and others made the submission.
“In the end, it was the overwhelming wish of the people, as stated in the committee’s report, that parliamentary system of government is adopted at all levels of government. What we have done therefore is to defer to the wish of the people in their clamour for a parliamentary system of government