Ugo Harris

After this election and swearing in of elected winners is over, INEC should start to propose a new electoral and constitutional reform on how we should begin to elect our presidents in Nigeria for peace and stability in the future.

Examining the problems and conflicts we have been having in electing, selecting or picking our executive president since the beginning of Nigeria, has lead to so many setbacks and it has deprived us of our quest for a stable nation. I think in choosing our President we have to try a new system, because of our diversity and the need to make everyone, every zone and every ethic group feel comfortable and to remove fear of domination; which will lead to a more stable political system. It will also make it more difficult for coup makers to find supporters or reason to set the country back. No matter which zone that produces the next president in 2007 and beyond, we have to admit it Nigeria maybe in serious trouble looking at the situation of things right now. Infact breakup of Nigeria is seriously in the horizon and we do not have to let it happen, because it will be the bloodiest conflict Africans or the World can imagine. Lets reduce this tension now and move Nigeria forward by making meaningful changes in our constitution and electoral system.

My suggestion is Executive Presidential council which has also been suggested by prominent Nigerians like Senator Melford Okilo and others, in this case each of the Zones( South-South, South East, South West, North West, Middle Belt and North East) will elect a person or two into this Executive Presidential council and within this Presidential Council of Six persons or more whom will be replaced from his or her zone incase of death , health reasons or removal/impeachment etc.

This six or more members of the executive Presidential Council will pick a president and Vice- President among themselves, and the other remaining members will be working within this Council on different projects decided by the constitution like ministers etc and still be members of the council; and the responsibility of Governing such an ethnic diverse country of 250 ethnic tribe can be manageable and every zone will feel represented at any given time.

The president and the vice-president will have executive powers.

This Council will have sole responsibility to govern Nigeria as the executive branch and we will still have our senate, House of Representatives, State House and the local governments. We can try this to make Nigeria stable and take away this fight over sole Presidency and by this Nigeria will move forward politically and economically; and each zone will have a chance at the Presidency by gentleman agreement and working together in the council.

Democracy is good for our growth and diversity but we must not use only American or British System, we have to add some other dimension from Nigeria situation knowing fully well educationally, religiously , culturally and language we are so different from America or Britain. We need our own brand of democracy to fit and contain our explosive situation.

The main Problem in Choosing a President in Nigeria is fear from each of these zones, ethnicity and tribal fears of domination . By this we are removing fear of domination religiously , economically and educationally by having an executive Presidential Council fully empowered to lead Nigeria and I think all these tension in Nigeria will be reduced if this system can be adopted.

We will still have our National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) in place. This Presidential council will have to be empowered fully and totally to govern Nigeria with all the executive power and constitutional responsibility to lead Nigeria. It will reduce the desire for toppling/Coup against the Government and all these tension by every zone claiming right for the presidency in 2007 and beyond will be reduced or removed.

If this system is adopted then every zone and every culture is fully represented and all the talk of war, hell and confusion will be removed from our political system. Send this suggestion if you can to the Presidency, National Assemby,Governors, State House members, religious leaders, Nigerian Labour Congress, Nigerian Bar Association, Ohanaeze Leadership, Afanifere Leadership, Arewa Leadership, Ijaw Congress, Urhobo Union, Middle Belt union etc and the leadership of other tribes and groups I did not mention here.

It may not be the best suggestion, but we need all the good ideas and suggestion to keep the most influential black nation on earth together. This is my contribution to the new constitutional and electoral reform needed in Nigeria urgently.

Ugo Harris Nigeria Democracy and Justice Project Washington, DC abujarock@yahoo.com