Constitution review: Akeredolu seeks scrapping of senate, says n’assembly should be part-time

Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo state, has called for a review of the membership status of federal lawmakers.

He stated this on Tuesday at the south-west zonal public hearing on constitution review, organised by the house of representatives special committee, in Akure.

The governor, represented by Lucky Aiyedatiwa, his deputy, said the country should consider scrapping the senate and adopting unicameral legislature.

He also said each zone should have an equal number of four representatives at the house of representatives.

“The membership of the assembly should be part-time. No member should earn allowances not known to the revenue mobilisation and allocation committee, and the people they claim to serve,” he said.

“Legislators should earn under a uniform salary structure. Allowance peculiarities must not be about obscenity. The senate should be scrapped.

“The house of representatives too should not be unwieldy. A maximum of four representatives should come from each zone.”

Akeredolu also called for fairness in ensuring that the contributions of Nigerians to the ongoing constitution review cut across all sectors.

“Nobody must be shut out; all must be treated equally. All decisions must be anchored on the principles of equity and justice,” he said.

He also noted that revenue generation and allocation should reflect the realities in terms of the economy.

“Ministries, departments and agencies must be pruned to reflect the socio-economic realities of the moment,” he said.

“The government at the centre must divest itself of this self-inflicted heavy burden, for effective and impactful performance.”