2023: Proposal for interim government to be presented to Buhari, says Okotie

Chris Okotie, founder of the Household of God Church, says he will present a proposal for an interim government to President Muhammadu Buhari soon. 

According to a statement issued on Friday by Ladi Ayodeji, his media adviser, the cleric said he will disclose more details of the “modalities” for the interim government in future statements.

“Okotie recalled that he was asked in several media interviews to give details of the interim government proposition and how it could be actualised,” the statement reads.

“The Reverend said from the inception of his announcement of the interim government proposition, he gave details of the workings in form of bullet points outlined in his widely circulated press release.

“Moreover, Okotie has promised to send his proposal to President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly once Nigerians have been fully sensitised.

“Okotie said he has already made this fact clear in several media interviews and would make a greater emphasis on the modalities of the interim government in subsequent public statements.”

In June, Okotie asked the presidential candidates of the leading political parties to allow him to head an interim government after Buhari completes his tenure.

He had said the country needs to be restructured because Nigeria practises a presidential system of government — not federalism.

“I want to appeal to all presidential candidates to withdraw from the race and allow me to come in as the interim president,” he had said.

“We must also rise above tribe and religion because there is an imbalance in the country and we are not practising federalism. Instead, what we are practising is a presidential system of government.

“Since 1999, things have been declining because the presidential system of government we are practising has failed us.

“We must get rid of the national and state assemblies because maintaining each member costs the country billions of naira. Some of the standing committees at both assemblies are not useful to the country; they are only representing themselves, not the populace.”

Okotie is not the only advocate for an interim government. Afe Babalola, founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, had expressed a similar view in April.

Babalola, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had said instead of holding elections in 2023 when Buhari’s tenure ends, an interim government should be formed to steer Nigeria in a new direction and give the country a new constitution.