By Ikhili Monday EBALU, Benin City
Former Provost Marshal of the Nigeria Army, Brig.-Gen Idada Ikponmwen (rtd) has the Executive and National Assembly must display honour, integrity and commitment to the ideals of democracy, good governance and rule of law.
General Ikponmwen, who stated this in a press statement that was made available to newsmen in Benin, said this is the only way that peace could be guaranteed between the legislature and NASS.
He subsequently warned the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), not to sweep contentious issues under the carpet in their bid to reconcile the two arms of government.
He expressed worry that the love lost between the NASS and the executive portend a grave danger to the actualisation of government programmes to meet the yearning and aspiration of the people.
While welcoming the reconciliation move by the national leadership of the APC, he said such reconciliation should be total.
According to him, “The efficacy of this mission of APC leadership will depend not on sweeping grievous issues under the carpet in the name of reconciliation and conciliation.”
“Genuine effort must be made to bring out clearly, to all stake holders, the need to run our government in line with the rule of law, in line with the salient characteristic features of the Presidential System of Government.
“Features such as Separation of Powers, Independence of each arm of government, Supremacy of the Constitution, cooperation in general terms in the promotion of the ideals of the society.
“When our system is overwhelmed by the so-called “cooperation” and “unity” of the various arm of Government, we end up with the very opposite of what our system is supposed to be.
“There can be no Presidential System of Government of our type if disagreement or divergent views do not emerge from the different arms of Government from time to time. This must be address with maturity, integrity and experience.
“At the end of the day with this reconciliatory moves, what are the people to expect. Will it be simply compromise to let peace reign and for how long and at whose expense?
“When government organs compromise in order to work together or be seen to work together at the expense of our laws and at the expense of the effective working of the government, is it not the polity (the people) that would suffer.
“I therefore postulate that greater efforts and emphases must be devoted to running a government according to law.
“That which will ensure proper separation of powers, to guaranteeing the independence and impartiality of the judiciary and to make it visibly obvious and manifest that Nigerian people deserve a government that is ordered by law”, he said.
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