The Home-Grown Parliamentary System Support Group has announced an extension of the submission deadline for the National Essay Competition on the Parliamentary System. In a statement released on Tuesday, the group stated that the submission deadline, initially set for June 12, has been extended to July 31, 2024.
The essay competition was initiated following the presentation of bills by a group of members of the House of Representatives in February. These bills seek to amend the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to transition from the current presidential system to a parliamentary system at all levels of government.
In addition to extending the submission deadline, the group revealed that the National Discussion, where distinguished guests and the public will deliberate on the essay topic, is scheduled for Monday, September 9 in Abuja.
The National Essay Competition is open to all Nigerian students in tertiary institutions globally. Since its commencement last month, the competition has garnered overwhelming interest from Nigerian students worldwide, with numerous entries received on the essay portal.
According to the statement, appeals from a cross-section of students for an extension of the submission deadline prompted the decision for the extension. The lawmakers behind the initiative aim to spark a national conversation about the future of Nigerian governance systems, fostering robust public debates, stakeholder consultations, expert analyses, and an informed decision-making process.
Moreover, the initiative seeks to raise awareness about significant development and encourage constructive dialogue on the potential implications of the proposed constitutional alterations.
