The National Conference Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government has adopted a modified presidential system of government for the country.
The decision followed extensive debate on the recommendations of a 11-member sub-committee chaired by retired Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Mukhtar.
The sub-committee noted that the need to evolve a novel system of government that would beneficial to Nigerians has became apparent considering the results of past and extant system the country has experienced and still going through.
After two adjournments, the Committee, co-Chaired by retired General Ike Nwachukwu and Hon. Mohammed Kumaila, agreed and recommended that there shall be a President that has one constituency, which is Nigeria.
Affect the second adjournment, 15 members sat and adopted the recommendations.
The proposed modified presidential system also provided that the president would run for the office on a joint ticket with a vice president.
It was also recommended that there shall be a vice president that would be selected from the legislature by the president.
The Committee rejected automatic ticket for the president that would have maximum of two terms of four years.
The second term is subject to election, the Committee recommended.
The President would have full responsibility for his government with full right to select his cabinet from among members of the legislature.
It was recommended that the president would select not more than 30 per cent from outside the legislature.
That percentage would take care of technocrats and other competences.
The Committee also recommended a novel feature of a quarterly question time by the president before the legislature.
This, the Committee said was for the purposes of enhancing accountability, while the cabinet can take theirs as the need arises.
State of the nation address annually by the president was also recommended by the Committee for the enhancement of transparency and accountability..
In the event that the office of the president becomes vacant, it was recommended that the vice president be sworn in as Acting President within 90 days for a new president to be elected.
A unicameral legislature, of proportional representation to guarantee minority and special rights on full time basis, was proposed.
The delegates opined that the current system encourages too much waste of government resources.
The Committee said its decision was based on the need to reduce the cost of the Senate to government, in addition to its inability to be thorough in some of its responsibilities like the confirmation of President nominees for public offices.
The Committee recommends a tenure of office of four years.
Election to the legislature has no limit on number of terms a legislator can be re-elected, it was suggested.
Furthermore, it was also recommended that election into the legislature should not be staggered to disallow vacuum at any point in time.
The Committee also suggested the establishment of an agency that would be responsible for screening prospective public officer.
The agency, that could be named ‘National Conscience and Integrity Committee/Commission’, would seek to address frictions that comes with appointment of certain key officers by the president.
This, according to the Committee, would check the excesses of the president on the appointment of such critical officers.
The Committee sought the recognition of the proposed Commission or Committee by the constitution.
The recommendations are subject to the ratification of the plenary.
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