Former Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has voiced his support for abolishing the executive presidential system of government, citing its unsustainability for the nation.
Aregbesola made these remarks at the ongoing national dialogue on the constitutional future of Nigeria, organized by The Patriots—a Pan-Nigerian Group of Eminent National Leaders of Thought, in honor of renowned constitutional lawyer Prof. Ben Nwabueze.
The theme of the dialogue is ‘Lawful Procedures for Actualizing a People’s Constitution for Nigeria.
‘During his speech at the event, Aregbesola drew from his extensive political experience, having served as a commissioner in Lagos State, governor of Osun State, and minister under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He highlighted the significant threat posed by the presidential system to Nigeria’s stability, labeling it a “death knell” for the nation.Aregbesola emphasized the importance of productive representation, suggesting that those actively engaged in productive endeavors should play a more significant role in governance.
He stated, “In seeking appropriate democratic representation, let’s consider production as a basis of representation. Our current representation model is not the best.
People engaged in productive activities should have a greater say in electing their representatives.
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“Aregbesola’s call aligns with a bill proposing a transition from the presidential to parliamentary system of government, which recently passed its first reading in the House of Representatives on February 14, 2024.
This bill, titled “The Bill Proposing Constitutional Alterations for a Transition to the Parliamentary System of Government,” was sponsored by 60 House members led by Wale Raji (APC: Lagos).
Several organizations and individuals have also expressed support for this proposed change in the governance system.
Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organization Afenifere commended the National Assembly for considering measures to cut the cost of governance and restructure the political system.
They emphasized the need for a return to the pre-military incursion governance arrangement.
Similarly, business mogul Aminu Dantata endorsed the proposed change during a meeting with members of the House of Representatives advocating for the bill.
Dantata expressed optimism about garnering further support for governance reform and stressed the importance of a governance framework that promotes economic stability.
