Kehinde Fajobi
Former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has called for Nigeria to abandon its presidential system in favour of a parliamentary system, asserting it is more suited to the country’s needs.
Speaking at the National Dialogue on Home-Grown Parliamentary System in Abuja on Monday, Aregbesola expressed strong opposition to the executive system currently in practice.
“If you go on believing that an individual, no matter how beautiful, no matter how good, could have the capacity to govern 120 million people all alone without checks, we are joking,” he said.
“So, by that consideration alone, I am opposed to the executive system of government. I believe the collective arrangement which the parliamentary system guarantees is best for a nation like Nigeria if indeed we are committed to advancing the interest of the large population and mass of our people.”
Aregbesola, also a former Minister of Interior, highlighted that the parliamentary model fosters greater accountability and better represents Nigeria’s diverse population.
In February, a group of 60 lawmakers from the House of Representatives introduced a bill proposing constitutional amendments to shift Nigeria’s governance from the presidential to a parliamentary system.
According to the lawmakers, the move is aimed at reducing the cost of government amid dwindling revenues.
Titled The Bills Proposing Constitutional Alterations for a Transition to Parliamentary System of Government, the proposal was spearheaded by House Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda and presented during a plenary session on February 14, 2024.
Addressing the initiative, spokesperson for the bill’s sponsors, Abdussamad Dasuki, stated, “Today, we stand on the cusp of history, as lawmakers across party affiliations and regional backgrounds come together to present bills proposing Constitutional Alterations that seek a transition to Parliamentary System of Government.”
He added that despite various amendments to address its flaws, the presidential system has “denied the nation the opportunity of attaining its full potential.”