JUST IN: President Buhari told to suspend 2023 Elections, Install Interim Govt

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari has been advised to suspend the 2023 General Elections and install a 6-month Interim Government.

Speaking during a news conference in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, Legal luminary, Afe Babalola suggested that the interim government should be in office for six months to chart a new course for Nigeria.

He stressed that the 2023 elections should be suspended until Nigeria has “a new-look peoples’ Constitution which should provide for part-time legislators and non-executive president’’.

Babalola said that members of the interim government should be drawn from all living former presidents and vice-presidents; some selected ministers and governors and delegates of prominent professional associations.

The professional associations could be the Nigeria Medical Association, Nigeria Bar Association, Nigeria Labour Congress, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Academic Staff Union of Universities and Civil Society Organisations.

“The same Constitution has made politics become not only very attractive, but the only lucrative business in Nigeria today. What this means is that any election that holds under the present scenario will end up producing transactional and recycled leaders, with no ability to turn things around,” he said.

“The new Constitution should also provide that there shall be no salary, but sitting allowances only for lawmakers.”

“It should provide a true federal system of government, instead of the expensive presidential system of government. I suggest parliamentary system of government, with a unicameral legislature.The new Constitution should also provide a body at the local, state and federal levels to screen all aspirants on the sources of their wealth and means of livelihood, criminal record which includes pending suits,” he said.