• Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Ad Rates
  • Submit News
  • Contact Us
The Eagle Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Politics
  • Column
  • Business
  • Life & Style
    • Crime
    • R&D Health
    • Diet and Fitness
    • Intimacy
  • Entertainment
    • Photos
    • Fashion
    • Movies
    • Music
  • Advert Rates
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Politics
  • Column
  • Business
  • Life & Style
    • Crime
    • R&D Health
    • Diet and Fitness
    • Intimacy
  • Entertainment
    • Photos
    • Fashion
    • Movies
    • Music
  • Advert Rates
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The Eagle Online
No Result
View All Result

20 years of Democracy: Executive exceeding its powers since 1999 – Jega

The Eagle Online by The Eagle Online
June 11, 2019
in Politics
3 min read
0
map_of_Nigeria
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterWhatsApp

RelatedPosts

France pledges support for Nigeria’s fight against illicit drug trafficking

EFCC arrests IT expert, six others for alleged internet fraud

Hours after Odumakin, another top Nigerian activist dies

Malam Mahmud Jega, the Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Daily Trust newspapers, on Tuesday in Abuja said the Presidency had been exceeding its role and powers prescribed for it by the constitution since 1999.
Jega said this in his keynote address at an event tagged ‘‘20 years celebration of democracy in Nigeria’’, organised by Centre for Democracy and Development.
Jega said that the federal government through the ant-graft agencies appropriated to itself the role of bullying state and local governments.
He said: “Since 1999, the presidency has exceeded the role and powers prescribed for it by the constitution.
“Through the agency of EFCC and ICPC, the government arrogated to itself the role of bullying state and local governments.
‘‘At one time, it used EFCC to force some state assemblies to impeach their governors even when they fell short of a quorum. It is forever grappling for more power.
“One of the biggest power snatches is the arrogation by the President of an unknown role called Party Leader; in that capacity, a president determines the candidates to field at all levels.
“The President even determines who is a party member through “re-registration” in which he hands over membership cards to select individuals.
“He invites people from other parties to come into his party and become candidates even after primaries have been concluded.’’
Jega said that at some point, the Presidency arrogated to itself the power to dictate to INEC who should be declared the winner of any election and how many votes to allocate to that person.
He added that the Presidency assumed the role of appointing Principal Officers of the National Assembly, and any leader who tried to assert its institutional independence was removed through what was famously called “banana peel’’.
Jega said that state governors were the next most powerful and the next most visible actors adding that the power that they exercise was beyond what the constitution envisaged.
He said over concentration of power in the hands of governors, control of contract awards and the virtual jettisoning of the Tenders Board and financial rules, lush security votes among others were powers not envisaged by the constitution.
Jega said that liberal democracy survived in Nigeria uninterrupted for 20 years not so much because of its own evident success but because of the international situation.
He advised that the government should work on strengthening democracy by securing the people and proffering solutions to improve the economy.
The chairman of Governors Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, said in savouring the 20 years of unbroken democracy, Nigeria “needs to keep on improving on the challenges we confront in this democratic dispensation.
He said: ‘‘This is when we can begin to talk about success. Freedom is the dividend of democracy. The greatest tribute we can pay to these democracy legends is to continue to build democratic institutions.
“We cannot let the perfect become the enemy of the good.’’
Human rights activist, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, said although Nigeria had recorded 20 years of unbroken democracy, the country’s was still at infancy level.
Ezekwesili said that there was no way democracy would thrive without good governance, adding that “when good governance does not happen, it would be difficult to experience democracy.
He said: ‘‘Participation, equality, equity and responsiveness, all define good governance.
“When good governance does not happen, part of the reasons for its failure to govern on these principles, the symptoms is corruption.
‘‘So, when you are going to tackle corruption, you must tackle it not as a superficial symptom; Corruption is a symptom of poor governance.
“The real fundamental problem that we have is poor governance. Corruption is a manifestation of it. It manifests in many ways.’’
Ezekwesili said that the government should tackle corruption from the structural level which was the priority people were putting on the table.
Earlier, CDD Director, Idayat Hassan, said the last 20 years of unbroken democracy offered Nigerians the opportunity to take a stock and make amends where necessary and forge ahead in the democratic adventure.
Hassan said that the aim of the event was to chart the way forward for the nation’s democracy and block every way of re-emergence of military rule.

Tags: CDDDaily TrustEFCCICPCIdayat HassanINECKayode FayemiMahmud JegaOby Ezekwesili
Share31Tweet17SendShare7

Related Posts

NDLEA proposes drug test for university students, security agents, government appointees

France pledges support for Nigeria’s fight against illicit drug trafficking

April 8, 2021
Woman bills job seeker N6m for placement in EFCC

EFCC arrests IT expert, six others for alleged internet fraud

April 8, 2021
Hours after Odumakin, another top Nigerian activist dies

Hours after Odumakin, another top Nigerian activist dies

April 4, 2021
Edo: INEC gives timeline for completion of State Collation Centre

NIN not mandatory for voter registration – INEC

April 1, 2021
Breaking: N2.1b arms deal: Appeal Court frees Dokpesi, firm

Breaking: N2.1b arms deal: Appeal Court frees Dokpesi, firm

April 1, 2021
I was tricked into admitting theft of N127m, says ex-Lagos Scholarship Board boss

I was tricked into admitting theft of N127m, says ex-Lagos Scholarship Board boss

April 1, 2021

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.




COVID-19 Update

Oyo completes phase I of COVID-19 vaccine distribution

COVID-19: After seven days of no fatality, Nigeria records one death, new cases

2021 Hajj: Ogun begins vaccination of intending pilgrims

NAPHARM, Editors sensitise Nigerians about COVID-19 vaccines

FG restates commitment to lift Nigeria out of poverty

Most Read

  • Driver organises kidnap of his bank bosses, makes N15m from three operations + Photos

    Driver organises kidnap of his bank bosses, makes N15m from three operations + Photos

    227 shares
    Share 91 Tweet 57
  • US raises alarm over visa fraud

    216 shares
    Share 86 Tweet 54
  • 17 suspected cultists nabbed in Abuja, guns, bullets, others recovered

    129 shares
    Share 52 Tweet 32
  • Obaseki: FG printed N60b to augment March allocation, debt will be over N16t soon

    125 shares
    Share 50 Tweet 31
  • Primate Ayodele to new IGP: Put God first

    116 shares
    Share 46 Tweet 29
  • I’ll leave Kaduna once my tenure ends, retrench workers, reduce appointees — El-Rufai

    110 shares
    Share 44 Tweet 28

Ease Slash

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.




https://theeagleonline.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/VID-20200510-WA0000.mp4

Chat with us now

Most Commented

    Latest

    South-East Governors set up joint security outfit, ban open grazing

    South-East Governors set up joint security outfit, ban open grazing

    April 11, 2021
    EPL: West Ham survive Iheanacho’s scare

    EPL: West Ham survive Iheanacho’s scare

    April 11, 2021
    Two women arrested over death of 64-year-old man in Lagos

    Two women arrested over death of 64-year-old man in Lagos

    April 11, 2021
    Bankers, judges, others to discuss new normal at national seminar — CIBN

    Let your word be your bond, CIBN boss charges Ecobank management trainees

    April 11, 2021
    APGA chieftain in Anambra defects to APC

    Ramadan: APC distributes 130 trucks of food items in Zamfara

    April 11, 2021




    • Home
    • News
    • Sport
    • Politics
    • Column
    • Business
    • Life & Style
    • Entertainment
    • Advert Rates
    • Contact Us

    © 2020 Premium Eagle Media Limited.

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • News
    • Sport
    • Politics
    • Column
    • Business
    • Life & Style
      • Crime
      • R&D Health
      • Diet and Fitness
      • Intimacy
    • Entertainment
      • Photos
      • Fashion
      • Movies
      • Music
    • Advert Rates
    • Contact Us

    © 2020 Premium Eagle Media Limited.

    This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.