Nigerians have been urged to rather agitate for a return to parliamentary system of government in the country and jettison the call of state police.
The Emir of Ningi in Bauchi State, Alhaji Yunusa Muhammadu Dan Yaya, declared his opposition to state police in the country at the weekend.
The traditional ruler meanwhile declared his support for the initiative by some Nigerians advocating Nigeria’s return to a parliamentary system of government.
Danyaya, who is one of the longest serving emirs in the Northern region, expressed this views in his palace, in Ningi, while answering questions from journalists who visited him.
“During the reign of military head of state, General Sani Abacha, when he organised the National Constitutional Conference which I was a member, we opposed the presidential system of government because it is not our own system of government, since systems of government are based on people’s culture, tradition and ways of living
“Take for example, like England, they don’t have a written constitution, but the things that happen every day, people’s behaviours and cultures are being observed, then they use them in the courts and other executive councils
“But in the case of the parliamentary system of government, the Prime Minister is in the parliament, the governor is in the parliament, everyone is in the parliament, they work together, and you will not be elected unless you are elected in your village. And your party win the election, It is not expensive as the presidential system,” he said.
“When the issue was brought during the conference, some people opposed it because they enjoyed the luxuries in the presidential system. Myself and some members stood to our ground and defended the parliamentary system
“Those who brought us the presidential system as an absolute leader, did it with good intentions, but they forgot Nigeria’s tradition and culture, and they have forgotten the Nigerian faith and the life of Nigerians, they do not consider it, they consider that this government is the one that will unite Nigeria
“This has brought us to where we are. Their view is that this government is going to unite Nigeria, so why is it that what is more powerful than ours has cost us and there is no freedom in it at all? And today in the world, there are not many countries that are practishing this form of government, except for a few countries,’’ he added.
