News
Cost of governance: Aisha Yesufu wants Senate scrapped
A renowned political and civil rights activist, Aisha Yesufu has called for the scrapping of the Nigerian Senate to reduce cost of governance.
Yesufu,Co-founder, Bring Back Our Girls Movement, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.
She was reacting to calls in some quarters that the country should jettison bicameral legislature(two-chamber National Assembly) and adopt unicameral legislature to reduce cost of governance.
NAN reports that unicameral legislature is a system with one chamber or house, as opposed to bicameral legislature which has two chambers(Senate and House of Representatives).
Some countries with unicameral legislatures include:- China (National People’s Congress) Sweden (Riksdag) Norway (Storting) Denmark (Folketing)and Portugal (Assembly of the Republic).
The activist said could ,alternatively,consider re-introduction of the parliamentary system of government to reduce the heavy funds spent on the National Assembly.
According to her, until something is done about the cost of running government and corruption, Nigerians would not feel the dividends of democracy.
“We need to really and critically examine our democracy and look at what fits us and serve the ordinary people and the masses. The one that will not be too expensive.
“What we have now is too expensive. We need to cut cost and not just continue what what we have that has not been working for Nigerians.
“I totally support the call for us to have a unicameral legislature and scrapping of Senate, it is very important because the kind of governance that we are practising is very expensive.
“As a country, we really don’t have that kind of money. Apart from this, the fact is that both Senate and House of Representatives end up duplicating functions in terms of what they do,” Yesufu said.
She said the Senate had been turned into ” a retirement home for a lot of incompetent and failed governors who didn’t do anywhere well for the people in their state.”
She said that Nigerians had continued to bear the burnt of the resources annually allocated to these political ‘retirees’ in the Senate.
Yesufu added: “It (Senate) is a joke ground, we cannot say what Senate does is in a really sense different from what the House of Representatives do.
“They (Senators) do nothing special and at the end of the day, they are paid humongous amount of our money and such huge allowances for doing nothing different.
“We found out that a good number of them, especially those that are former governors, while they get this humongous salary, they are as well collecting pension from their respective states.
“There is no way democracy can work for the masses with this kind of waste of public funds that could have been directed to put happiness to the face of the common man.”
According to her, Senegal is practising a unicameral legislature, after abolishing Senate for the second time in September 2012.
She said : “The House of Representatives is enough for it to be able to take care of the law making aspect of the nation, oversights and other things that the legislative arm of government does.
“Unicameral legislature should be adopted in Nigeria because bicameralism is too expensive apart from the fact that it slows down business of lawmaking.
“It is not working for us, we don’t have the kind of money to run it and maintain this, especially at a time the masses are suffering.
“Having a single legislative arm will pay us better in terms of reduction of cost of governance,” she said.
Yesufu decried that Nigeria had not in real sense been practising true federal system of government.
Speaking further, the activist said the country could also adopt the parliamentary system of government to also reduce cost to governance.
She said that Nigeria could not longer sustain the current presidential system of government.
“This will also pay us in terms of reduction of the cost of governance because whoever is leading the country is the one that is the first among equal.
“Ministers in this system are selected from members of the parliament that are elected.
“So, that reduces the cost of governance drastically and better than what we have now where separate people are brought in as ministers,” she said.
The activist said that both bicameral legislature and presidential system of government had brought a lot of pressure on the nation resources.
“We can have a parliamentary system of government, we shall be reducing cost of governance drastically well.
“The Prime Minister would not be this powerful and exercise control over everything ,including the appointed ministers, because ministers are also members of the parliament,” she said.
US President Donald Trump has asserted that he is not jesting about his ambitions for a third presidential term, despite the constitutional restrictions in place.
While the U.S. Constitution prohibits any individual from serving more than two four-year terms, Trump indicated that it is premature to delve into such considerations.
Having assumed office for his second, non-consecutive term on January 20, Trump has hinted at his desire for a third term, addressing the matter more directly in a telephone conversation with NBC News.
“No, I’m not joking. I’m not joking,” Trump reiterated, though he acknowledged, “it is far too early to think about it.”
He hinted at potential avenues to pursue this goal without providing specific details.
According to the 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, U.S. presidents are limited to two terms, whether consecutive or not. To amend this constitutional provision would require a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress, followed by ratification from three-fourths of the 50 state legislatures.
Some of Trump’s allies have suggested the feasibility of extending his stay in the White House beyond 2028. Trump himself has alluded to this notion on multiple occasions, often in a manner that challenges his political adversaries. Should he pursue another term after the November 2028 election, he would be 82 years old, having previously made history as the oldest president at the time of his inauguration.
The tradition of limiting presidential terms was established by George Washington in 1796. This practice was largely followed for over 140 years until Franklin D. Roosevelt broke the norm by winning a third term in 1940. Roosevelt, who led the nation through the Great Depression and World War II, sadly passed away during his fourth term in 1945, leading to the enactment of the term limits amendment in 1951.
Steve Bannon, a long-time adviser to Trump, expressed in a March 19 interview with NewsNation his belief that Trump will indeed run again in 2028. Bannon noted that he and others are exploring ways to facilitate this ambition, including reviewing the definition of term limits. “We’re working on it,” he stated, underscoring the ongoing discussions surrounding Trump’s political future.
Traders in Lagos have voiced their concerns regarding the significant decline in food sales, particularly for pepper, attributing the downturn to rising prices and the diminished purchasing power of local residents.
In interviews conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), both traders and consumers shared their experiences regarding patronage as the Sallah celebration approaches.
Mr. Rabiu Zuntu, Chairman of the Tomato Growers and Processors Association of Nigeria (Kaduna chapter), linked the situation to the heightened prices of produce and the weakened purchasing capacity of consumers. He stated, “Pepper prices in the north are also steep, with a jumbo 50kg bag reaching as high as N150,000, compared to N60,000 to N70,000 just months ago. This price surge may adversely affect the Sallah festivities, as only a few consumers may afford these products.”
Zuntu further explained, “Currently, we are outside the pepper farming season. Insufficient rainfall has led to a scarcity of this commodity, with only a handful of farmers involved in irrigation. Many will resort to using dried pepper, which is more affordable during this time, although demand remains low. We anticipate an increase in demand as the celebration nears.”
Mrs. Mistura Balogun, a pepper vendor at Lawanson Market in Surulere, echoed these sentiments, noting the unusually low customer turnout. “It’s not just pepper that has become expensive; many other goods have seen price increases as well. Typically, this time of year should see a bustling market, but today is quite different. I have been at my stall since morning, and the number of customers is minimal,” she lamented.
Similarly, Mrs. Mojisola Gbadegesin, another pepper seller at Idi-Araba market, reported a stark decrease in patronage. “Despite the high prices, we usually see customers buying pepper, but this year is different. The market feels deserted, and business is sluggish,” she remarked.
Mrs. Judith Amen, also a foodstuff vendor, highlighted that the rising prices of pepper and other food items are likely to escalate further as the celebrations peak. “At the start of the week, a small bag of scotch bonnet pepper was priced at N70,000, and I expect prices to soar over the weekend due to Sallah. A good quality bag of rice is selling for N85,000, while lower-quality options range from N60,000 to N75,000. Although patronage is currently low, we anticipate an uptick a day before Sallah, but consumers will only purchase what they can afford,” she explained.
Mr. John Nwabueze, a trader in the Agege area, expressed frustration over the lack of customers as Eid celebrations begin. “Sales have been notably low, with people buying only what their budgets allow. The market has been unusually quiet, affecting all commodities, including rice. A 50kg bag of rice is priced between N76,000 and N78,000, yet sales remain sluggish this Sallah,” he noted.
Mrs. Amina Fakunle, a resident of the Alimosho area, remarked that the high cost of pepper would lead consumers to celebrate in a more subdued manner. “Just six pieces of pepper cost about N500, which is the lowest price available. With these prices, people will likely opt for a low-key celebration,” she stated.
Mr. David Oriafo, a resident of the Dopemu area, also commented on the lack of festive activity in the market. “I managed to purchase a few items for my family to save costs, but it’s evident that the usual festive buzz is missing. People are only buying what they can afford, much like myself,” he shared. (NAN)
A Nigerian boxer, Segun “Success” Olanrewaju, has died after slumping during a boxing match in Ghana.
The Secretary-General of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C), Remi Aboderin confirmed the death of the boxer on Sunday.
The 40-year-old boxer, nicknamed “Success”, stumbled to the canvas while fighting Jon Mbanugu, a Ghanian, at Fight Night 15 of the Ghana Professional Boxing League at Bukom Boxing Arena, Accra, on Saturday.
Olanrewaju was not punched or near his opponent when he collapsed violently in round three of the light-heavyweight bout.
The referee called the match immediately, and medical aid was ushered into the ring.
Olarenwaju died after he was rushed to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
Ther boxer was a former West African and national light-heavyweight champion.
He competed in 24 bouts with 13 wins, eight losses, and three draws.
In 2022, Chukwuemeka Igboanugo, another boxer, also died after suffering a technical knockout (TKO) in a bout at the National Sports Festival (NSF) in Delta.
Igboanugo died after he took a fatal blow to the nose and did not survive the hit.