Okotie canvasses restructuring, scrapping of national, state assemblies
• Implores 2023 presidential candidates to step down for him to succeed Buhari
Founder of Household of God Church, Reverend Chris Okotie, has called for scrapping of the national and state assemblies, as well as empowerment of various voluntary associations to cut down cost of governance.
The cleric, who also canvassed restructuring of the country, stated that enabling professional associations constitutionally to acquire legislative powers as a replacement for the legislature would be of immense good to the most populous black nation.
Addressing journalists in Oregun, Ikeja during a service to mark his 63rd birthday, Okotie implored presidential candidates for the 2023 election to step down for him in his bid to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari.
The priest stressed the need to redefine Nigeria’s federalism, urging the enactment of a new democratic and peoples’ constitution.
His words: “Embracing the concept of aboriginal democracy, that is, a government from the people, for the people and with the people. This is distinct from the current experience of the political parties, which is government of the party, by the party and for the party.
“Establish a government of National Reconciliation and Reconstruction. This interim government shall address aberrations and anomalies in the polity.
“Young persons with an inclination to technological advancement will ensure financial accountability of the government. Each state will be administered by volunteer tetrarchs.”
“Inviting all Nigerians to join the conversations that would enable a transition to an interim government at the end of President Buhari’s tenure. Collating these conversations as a transcript to the President and National Assembly.
“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 continued: “For the best of the country, both assemblies should be scrapped and the money for maintaining them should be used for something else. What we have in Nigeria today is the government of the party, by the party and for the party.
“Ministers and the commissioners should also be expunged because Nigeria’s democracy has been hijacked by the elite for their interest and they are deceiving the downtrodden who don’t know anything. And the most important of all is our Constitution. It should be changed to a people-oriented Constitution, not the military one we have now. After the change, we can then restructure the country for the better.”
