A former Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Alhaji Idi Farouk, has advised leaders at all levels of government not to see oppositions as enemies of government, but partners in progress.
Farouk in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja said that opposition played key role in democratic system of government.
He said that while opposition parties should know that there was governance after election, the ruling party should not “throw away the bathing water with the baby.’’
Farouk said that at every level of government from the federal to state and local government levels, there was need for opposition to keep the ruling party and government on their toes.
“I want us all to appreciate that after election comes governance, and why there is governance, there is also opposition to the ruling government at the state or the federal level,’’ he said.
He said that the presidential candidates-Peter Obi of Labour party, Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party, and Prince Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party, were doing their jobs by critising government policies.
Farouk, expressing his preference on the type of government he wished for Nigeria, said that he would go for parliamentary instead of presidential system of government.
He explained that the parliamentary system of government held people in power more accountable to the people than presidential system of government.
“Don’t forget in the parliamentary system, the president himself must be a member of the parliament. So, he is the leader of his political party, and if the political party itself has the majority of people, he forms government.
“Every day or week, the president also goes to the parliament to be cross-examined on the things that he or she does and the opposition is also positioning itself to take over.
“That is why I want us to appreciate the fact that in every system, there has to be opposition.
“That is why I advise the handlers of Mr President to see Atiku, Obi, Rabiu Kwankwanso and others who went into election against Tinubu as opponents.
“They have now formed the opposition, ready to take over government. That is their responsibility.
“In parliamentary when the prime minister goes to the house, he is totally interrogated and more accountable to the people. Even his ministers will be selected from amongst his members,’’ Farouk said.(NAN)
