Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has voiced his opposition to the proposal to shift Nigeria’s governmental system from the current presidential model to a parliamentary one.
A group of sixty House of Representatives members is advocating for the change, citing the perceived high cost and emergence of ineffective leaders under the presidential system.
This proposition has garnered support from notable figures such as Prof. Ango Abdullahi, a prominent member of the Northern Elders Forum and former vice chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University.
During the public presentation of the book “Court and Politics,” written by Umar Ardo, the gubernatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the 2023 Adamawa State elections, Obasanjo expressed reservations about the idea.
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Represented by former Niger State Governor Aliyu Babangida, Obasanjo emphasized that Nigeria’s challenges stem not from the political system itself, but from the individuals involved.
He stressed that without a conducive political culture and the right actors, changing the system would be futile.
Obasanjo highlighted historical events like the 1966 coup, which was preceded by the controversial 1965 elections, to illustrate the importance of political culture in the success of any governmental system.
He cautioned against repeating past mistakes and urged for a focus on nurturing a positive political culture rather than simply changing the system itself.
