Akume blasts delegates over proposed part-time legislature

Gov. Akume

Akume blasts delegates over proposed part-time legislatureSenate Minority Leader Senator George Akume (APC Benue North West) yesterday berated some delegates to the National Conference for proposing a part-time Legislative.

The delegates, on Wednesday, approved the recommendation of the Conference’s Committee on Public Service, headed by former Head of Service, Ebele Okeke. The committee suggested a part-time legislative system at the state and federal levels.

The committee argued that the arrangement would reduce the cost of governance in the areas of jumbo salaries and other mouth-watering packages paid to the lawmakers under the present arrangement.

Addressing reporters in Abuja, Akume said: “Part-time Legislature is not and can never be the answer to Executive impunity and corruption in the country.”

The distinguished senator insisted that Executive impunity was largely responsible for the high cost of governance in Nigeria.

He said: “I am not surprised that such a proposal is coming from people that were not elected but hand-picked by an individual for a national assignment. In fact, they have no electoral value in the first place to stand for and win any election.

“How will they understand and appreciate what constitute elected offices, especially the legislative seats in the governance of the country under democratic template?

“I do not believe, as wrongly proposed by the unelected delegates at the National Conference, that part-time Legislature would help in appreciable terms in the reduction of the cost of governance in Nigeria.

“It cannot serve in any way as an antidote to Executive impunity and corruption that has over the years been the cause of the high cost of governance in the land.

“I am not, and I believe other lawmakers are not, surprised that such a proposal came from the National Conference; people who are hand-picked delegates.”