Rauf Aregbesola, the former Governor of Osun State, has expressed his opposition to Nigeria’s current presidential system of government, advocating instead for a return to a parliamentary system. Speaking at a National Dialogue on Home-Grown Parliamentary System in Abuja, he emphasized the challenges of governing a large population—estimated at 120 million—by a single individual without sufficient checks and balances. Aregbesola argued that the parliamentary system is more suited to Nigeria’s needs, as it promotes collective governance and is better equipped to address the interests of the country’s diverse populace.
He said, “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. 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.”
His remarks align with a recent initiative by a group of lawmakers in the House of Representatives, who proposed a bill to amend the 1999 Constitution to facilitate this transition. This group, comprising around 60 lawmakers, believes that shifting to a parliamentary system could help reduce the cost of governance amid declining revenue, highlighting a growing discourse on the effectiveness and efficiency of Nigeria’s current political structure.
