The major headlines in mainstream newspapers today, Friday, December 14, are focused on the argument between APC and PDP senators over which party has the highest number of members in the upper legislative chamber, the move by 71 members of the House of Reps to amend the constitution and return Nigeria to a parliamentary system of government, and the comment made by Babatunde Fashola, that the federal government is not to blame for poor electricity supply in the country.
Kicking things off, The Nation reports that in the National Assembly, an argument ensued on Thursday, December 13, between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), over which of them has the highest number of members in the Senate.
According to the publication, a surreptitious move to override President Muhammadu Buhari over his decision not to sign the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018 into law ahead of the 2019 general elections was what fueled the argument.
However, the Presidency and the APC are reaching out to the party’s caucuses in the National Assembly to block the purported plot to veto the president.
A source reportedly stated: “It cannot be completely ruled out that some members may be mobilising to initiate the override process.”
Front page of The Nation, Friday, December 14 (Photo credit: Legit.ng)
Source: Depositphotos
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On to another very important subject, The Guardian reports that members of the House of Representatives have begun moves to return the country to a parliamentary system of government.
During a plenary presided over by Speaker Yakubu Dogara on Thursday, a bill aimed at amending the 1999 Constitution to achieve the goal was presented.
About 71 members of the 360-strong lower legislative chamber are believed to be backing the bill.
Rep Ossai Nicholas (PDP-Delta) explained: “The economies of nations are known to thrive on the confidence of investors in the system and character of government.
The level of instability and volatility of the presidential system makes it difficult to achieve economic objectives.”
Front page of The Guardian, Friday, December 14 (Photo credit: Legit.ng)
Source: Depositphotos
Taking a cue from the previous publication, This Day also reports that the House of Representatives passed the first reading of a bill seeking to return Nigeria to the parliamentary system of government, during plenary on Thursday.
The bill was initiated by a group consisting of 22 bi-partisan lawmakers.
Addressing newsmen in the House of Representatives Press Centre, the lawmakers, who disclosed that they were already 71 in number, said the presidential system of government had become too costly, and was not giving Nigerians the best type of leadership.
They added that they were collecting more signatures, saying they were sure to get the mandatory two-third majority needed to facilitate a constitution amendment that would see Nigeria return to parliamentary system of government.
Front page of This Day, Friday, December 14 (Photo credit: Legit.ng)
Source: Depositphotos
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Still on the issue, Punch reports that the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, have described the move by 71 members of the House of Representatives to amend the constitution and return the country to a parliamentary system of government, as a welcome development.
The spokesmen for both organizations, Yinka Odumakin and Uche Achi-Okpaga, respectively, disclosed this in separate interviews with the publication.
Odumakin said in part: “Those members of the House of Representatives are true representatives of the people and history will be very kind to them.
“The presidential system has killed Nigeria, it is too expensive and it is the major source of corruption in Nigeria today.
“If you say you want to become a president under this system, the whole country is your constituency. On election day, you will need 119, 973 agents. If you give them N5,000 each, that is N6bn. Where will an honest man get that?”
Front page of Punch, Friday, December 14 (Photo credit: Legit.ng)
Source: Depositphotos
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To end today’s review of mainstream newspapers, Vanguard is focused on the comment made by the minister of works, power and housing, Babatunde Fashola, concerning the poor electricity supply in the country.
The publication reports that while speaking at a stakeholders meeting in Abuja on Wednesday night, December 12, the minister advised electricity consumers in the country to direct their complaints about poor power supply and faulty equipment to electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) and Generation Companies (GENCOs).
He explained that since the electricity sector had been privatized, the federal government could no longer interfere in the issue of citizens not having electricity.
He said: “If you don’t have electricity, it is not the federal government’s problem, take the matter to the people who are operating the power sector, generation and distribution companies.”
Front page of Vanguard, Friday, December 14 (Photo credit: Legit.ng)
Source: Depositphotos
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