In a recent statement, Nkumogu Obadiah Mbila has criticizes the presidential system of government in Nigeria, attributing it to the proliferation of corruption and suggesting that the country adopt a unicameral parliament to reduce costs associated with the current bicameral legislature, during an interview with The Sun.
He also notes that the 1999 constitution does not adequately guarantee freedom and liberty.
When comparing the National Assemblies of the Fourth and Second Republics, he points out that the Second Republic's National Assembly cannot be adequately rated due to its short tenure, which was disrupted by a military takeover.
In contrast, the Fourth Republic's National Assembly, spanning multiple sessions, is given credit for its assertiveness and role in stabilizing democracy.
The Fifth Assembly is noted for stopping the unconstitutional tenure elongation campaign, the Sixth for creating the doctrine of necessity to address succession issues, and the Eighth for maintaining parliamentary independence despite executive opposition.
However, the Ninth and Tenth National Assemblies are seen as failures compared to the high standards set by their predecessors.
"By all analysis, the Fourth and Fifth National Assembly earned a pass mark of most assertive NASS. The Fifth, Sixth and Eighth Assemblies were rated high for their roles in stabilising democracy. The Ken Nnamani’s Fifth National Assembly stopped the unconstitutional tenure elongation campaign. Under the watch of Senator David Mark, the Sixth National Assembly created doctrine of necessity to provide for succession lacuna while the Eighth National Assembly asserted unprecedented parliamentary independence despite executive hostility. It was the standard the 8th National Assembly set that made the Ninth and 10th National Assembly look like a colossal failure," he said.