I dismissed, as an act of mischief, the “summons” issued by the House of Representatives on President Goodluck Jonathan to appear before its members in camera to discuss the state of the nation. Thus, I was taken aback when Gov. Fashola, someone who has earned my respect by his conduct and remarks thus far on burning national issues, reportedly backed the action of the Reps.

Did I miss something …then? Ours is no longer a parliamentary system. This means that the House of Representatives is not the same as the British House of Commons which can summon a Prime Minister to appear before it and explain his or her actions. The difference is clear. The prime minister is, first of all, a parliamentarian, elected from a small, local constituency from where he is handpicked to lead a government on behalf of the party that won majority of seats in parliament. In a presidential system, the president is elected by majority of voters in the entire country to lead a government on behalf of the people. Unlike the Prime Minister that has a defined constituency before he became king, the President has the entire country and her citizens as his constituency. This is why the President is automatically bigger than his political party and every other elected official, unlike the Prime Minister who is a servant of his party and a primus inter pares among legislators in a parliamentary system.

The point seemed obvious to me when I dismissed the House “summons” as an act of mischief. The president is therefore not a member of parliament who can be “summoned” by the House. In the United States, which we are often quick to cite as a model of presidential democracy, no one – not even an opposition politician – ignores an invitation by Mr. President for a discussion, whenever there is an issue that needs to be sorted out. It is never the other way around. The President could, on his own, decide to address the nation through Congress on the state of the nation but is never “summoned” to appear and talk to the Reps and “in secret” for that matter.
 
I rest my case

how to reverse a weight loss plateau, acute effects of diet pills, 1 premium garcinia cambogia extract 3000mg daily servings diet pills 65 hca, norcodrene weight loss, keto recipes for allergic people, how does metformin work for weight loss, can you lose weight from a sauna, how much do i have to weigh to qualify for weight loss surgery, hunger control pills over the counter, pro action weight loss plan, diet right for your personality type, water weight loss tea, where can you buy b12 lipozene shots, how to eat dates for weight loss, texas weight loss clinic san antonio, where does conjugated linoleic acid come from, diet pills for women with pcos, weight loss gold coast, how to lose weight when you have little self control, tonalin censor, dietary menu for weight loss, how to lose hormonal weight fast, natural appetite suppressant herbs india, foods to avoid while losing weight, how to lose weight in calves, my weight loss has stalled, stole my picture for diet pills, fasting to lose weight tips, weight loss bellevue wa, cut out foods to lose weight, diet slim pills, quinoa vs oatmeal for weight loss, weight loss and weight training, african mango liquid appetite suppressant reviews, herbalife weight loss pills, blueprint cleanse reviews weight loss, best quick diet, how to lose weight while on invega, ace weight loss formula, water schedule for weight loss, armageddon weight loss pills reviews, weight watchers locations, stop yo yo dieting and lose weight, weight loss camps for adults in new jersey,

Author

  • Ogbuagu Bob Anikwe, a veteran journalist and message development specialist, is now a community journalism advocate and publisher of Enugu Metro. Contact him on any of the channels below.

If you love this, click a button below to share the knowledge