Izuchukwu Okosi
Former Akwa Ibom state Governor Chief Victor Attah on Friday expressed his optimism that the Parliamentary system of Government is what Nigeria needs to move forward reports Prime Business Africa.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelAttah made the assertion on Arise TV’s The Morning Show in which he also condemned the decision of the two major political parties, All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to jettison the plans for zoning the office of the President.
“A Presidential system of government is not suitable for Nigeria, a Parliamentary system will ne much better.
“There will always be a leader. Tafewa Balewa didn’t do what he personally wanted to do to become the Prime Minister rather he did the will of the people.
“Today nobody considers the electorate but in the Parliamentary system of Government, the interest of the people are represented. That’s the beauty of the Parliamentary system of Government.
“Today, because of the winner takes it all syndrome and the system we operate, only one of them can be president then fall away,” Attah stressed.
On the knoty issue of zoning in the Presidential election, Attah responded to the question on whether the South has been outsmarted by the North after it was widely expected that the Presidential candidate must come from the South.
“It’s unfortunate that this zoning has generated a lot. One of the Northern Governors said that rotating the Presidency between the North and the South is no longer a matter of Convention. It has become a Covenant and I agree with that totally.
“This zoning thing is a product of an unfortunate system that we run. There wasn’t zoning when Tafewa Balewa became the Prime Minister of Nigeria. He was the product of an agreement and arrangement.
“Balewa didn’t have close to the majority number of seats in the Assembly at the time,” Attah added.
On the campaigns by some former governors on the Presidential race and who have flaunted what they ‘achieved’ while aas state governors, Attah as thus:
“We are not blind to what some of them have or say they have done. We can’t judge but given a certain level of performance you can’t know until a person gets there.”
On if his successors as Governors of Akwa Ibom state, Godswill Akpabio and Udom Emmanuel are emineny qualified to become President, Attah gave his ringing endorsement to the incumbent, Udom Emmanuel.
“If you want me to talk about my current Governor, Udom Emmanuel, I believe he can make a good President. No denying that fact because of his antecedents, what he has done in Akwa Ibom state, because of his background. I can judge his competence,” Attah concluded.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
