ACTIVIST WANTS SENATE SCRAPPED OVER COST OF GOVERNANCE

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, while speaking on Sunday in Lagos was reacting to calls in some quarters that the country should jettison bicameral legislature, two-chamber of the National Assembly and adopt unicameral legislature to reduce cost of governance.

The unicameral legislature is a system with one chamber or house, as opposed to bicameral legislature, which has two chambers, that is 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.

She said the Senate had been turned into a retirement home for many incompetent and failed governors who did not care for the people in their states.