‘It’s time to scrape the positions of Deputy Governor, Vice-President’ – Prof Mimiko
‘It’s time to scrape the positions of Deputy Governor, Vice-President’ – Prof Mimiko
The former Vice-Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Prof Femi Mimiko, mni, has called for the scrapping of the positions of Vice President and Deputy Governor in the country; and their replacement with those of Prime Minister at the national level, and Premier, at the State level. He made the call on Saturday, October 28, 2023, in answer to a question at the Class Reunion Forum of the 1994/1995 alumni association of the former Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, now Ekiti State University, held at the Tayville Academy, Akure, the Ondo State capital. According to the Professor of Political Science, at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, it had become obvious that the current arrangement under which a VP, or Deputy Governor is elected on a joint ticket with the President and Governor respectively, has not worked. Such had often only reproduced tension and acrimony between the two top executive officers at both the national and State levels, thus constituting avoidable distractions from governance.
Where a Prime Minister is appointed, upon the election of a President, and preferably from the parliament, Mimiko argued, the former holds his or her position at the pleasure of the President, making it unnecessary for whoever is President to be always watching his or her back, not sure what the deputy is up to. The Guest Lecturer opined that such a model would make for relative stability in governance and engender better focus for the elected President or Governor. Arguing that the finer details of this arrangement could be worked out, Mimiko noted that such would make superfluous the type of thing that happened in Bayelsa State four years ago, where an infraction committed by a Deputy-Governor elect fouled up the joint ticket he held with his principal, and thus made it impossible for the two of them to be sworn in. He cited France and Mexico as examples of countries where a similar model has proven to be quite effective in straightening out governance; and recalled that something akin to this was actually recommended by the 2014 National Conference.
In his presentation, titled, “Politics, Democracy and Economy: Prospects and challenges of development in Nigeria,” Professor Mimiko noted that the acrimonious circumstances of his election notwithstanding, President Tinubu had given some vibes that could be the basis for hope, if his intentions are properly managed, and appropriately calibrated in policy measures. Among these, he noted, are the management of the fuel subsidy regime, the efforts at harmonising the foreign exchange rates, the students loan scheme, the widening of the tax net, and the planned deployment of 500 billion Naira in support of micro, small and medium scale enterprises, and agricultural concerns. He noted that, if appropriately implemented, these could be the basis for redirecting the economy away from crisis; and laying of the foundation of inclusive growth in the medium to longer terms.
The Guest Lecturer also called for more attention to social justice in the country, as a critical platform for inclusivity, and for stanching the debilitating security crises in the country. He enjoined the conferees to properly key into alumni engagement and deliver substantial support to their alma mater. He indicated that such a step cannot be overemphasised at these times, which are largely defined by proprietorial funding fatigue in relation to education, seen across the county in the past few decades.
In their remarks, the Chairman, Planning Committee of the event, Barrister Oyebanji Bada, and the National President of the Association, Chief Bolaji Akinyemi, expressed their delight at having their colleagues attend the Reunion from across the country. They rededicated themselves to the vision of supporting Ekiti State University, their alma mater, in the immediate through the institutions of the Professor Peter Bodunrin Prize for the Best Graduating Student of the University, among others. Other speakers at the event included Professor Afolabi Popoola of the Ekiti State University, and the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Professor Eddy Olanipekun, represented by the EKSU Director of Advancement, Professor S.O. Olatunji. The Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Olayato Aribo, who chaired the event, expressed his delight that the conference was taking place in the Ondo State capital.
