The call for a transition from the current presidential system of government to a home-grown parliamentary system was the subject of discourse at a dialogue on Monday attended by eminent Nigerians, including former governors, religious leaders, scholars, current and former members of the National Assembly and opinion leaders, youth leaders and students. Speakers at the dialogue held at the Shehu Yar’Adua Center, Abuja agreed that the current presidential system was not working and that there was a need for the adoption of a homegrown governance system that would take into consideration Nigeria’s peculiarities. Many of the participants however canvassed for a home-grown parliamentary system, citing the unique benefits of parliamentary system over the presidential system.
Chairman of the occasion, former Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University and Convener of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Professor Ango Abdullahi, said the adoption of the American presidential system of governance was “our first mistake”, noting that the nation adopted “a system that did not fit our history, traditions, or experience.” Going down memory lane, Prof. Abdullahi said Nigeria’s situation was worse under the presidential democracy in the past 24 years than the few years of parliamentary system of government.
Abdullahi said, “Now we have experienced the presidential system for 24 years. With due respect, I think our situation is worse than under the parliamentary system that we t.
