Rep who proposed return to parliamentary system mobilising to veto Buhari on electoral bill

A member of House of Representatives, Mr Kinsley Chinda who led 71 other lawmakers to sponsor a bill to revert the county to parliamentary system says there were talks with other members of the National Assembly to override the president on the electoral bill.

Chinda disclosed this while speaking in Abuja on Tuesday.

The PDP lawmaker from Rivers State said the refusal of Buhari to assent to the amended Electoral Amendment bill for the fourth time was another reason Nigeria should revert to the parliamentary system.

He noted that the amendment was made to move the electoral process forward but it was left by the president for almost a year before finally declining assent on the ground that it was too close to election.

He said, “I am of the view that we should override the president and I have also spoken to some members about it.”

Read also: 71 Reps sponsor Bill to change Nigeria from Presidential system to Parliamentary

On why he mobilised the lawmakers to move a motion to return Nigeria to the parliamentary system of government, Chinda said the system would help check the issues of corruption as ministers would be part of the parliament and they would be accountable.

“The parliamentary system will ensure that the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary are on the same page.

“The system will iron out all these things; that is why we have thrown it up for Nigerians to look at, discuss and see that it will help us in proffering solutions to some of the problems of our country.

“What we have proposed in that bill is that the exclusive list should be pruned down and so issues of devolution of power is taken care of and I can assure you that you will see healthy competition and this country will grow for all of us.

“I am from Rivers, why can I not go to Sokoto to do my business there when I see myself as a Nigerian.

“It is because of the constitution and the laws that we have; you fill forms and you have to indicate your tribe. “We should begin to remove that mentality and begin to think of Nigeria first,” he said.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now