Part-time legislature won’t work, says Akume

Senate minority leader, Senator George Akume (APC, Benue), said on Thursday that  part-time legislature would not reduce the cost of governance in Nigeria.

Akume made this known when he reacted to the recommendation of delegates at the National Conference in Abuja.

The conference had on Wednesday adopted its committee on public service recommendation for part-time legislature in the country.

The committee, led by former head of service, Ebele Okek, had recommended part-time legislature for federal and states to reduce cost of governance.

Akume told journalists that there was no way a part-time legislature could reduce the cost of governance in the country.

“I do not believe that part-time legislature will help in appreciable terms in the reduction of cost of governance in Nigeria.

“This is so because it cannot serve in any way as antidote to executive impunity and corruption that has over the years been the cause of high cost of governance in the land,” he said.

Akume argued that the proposal would not work because having a full-time legislature was the best for the nation.

“In a nutshell, as far as I am concerned, such a proposal cannot see the light of the day.

“This is because those who put the present legislative system in the country in place did the right thing.

“It is modelled after other democratic countries like the United States of America, Canada, India, Britain etc.”

The lawmaker, however, admitted that the national assembly as presently constituted had not done enough to facilitate good governance in the country.

He said the legislature had a lot more work to do to ensure that the executive was checked constantly to ensure good governance, especially with regards to the budget.