Legal experts and political activists across Nigeria have strongly opposed the recent push by 60 Members of the House of Representatives to transition the nation’s governance from a Presidential to a Parliamentary system. They argue that Nigeria’s pressing need is for a comprehensive constitutional overhaul and restructuring rather than piecemeal changes.
Iniruo Wills, a legal practitioner and co-convener of the Embassara Foundation, emphasized the necessity of crafting a new constitution that truly reflects the will and consent of the people. He emphasized that any attempt to amend the current constitution without a holistic approach would be futile.
Eric Omare, former president of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), echoed similar sentiments, labeling the proposal as potentially misleading. He emphasized the challenge of garnering support from both chambers of the National Assembly and questioned the political will of the executive branch to enact such changes.
Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, a political analyst and executive director of the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), cautioned against reverting to the parliamentary system, citing potential pitfalls such as heightened political aggression and instability.
Overall, the consensus among critics is that Nigeria’s focus should be on addressing fundamental issues such as governance efficiency, accountability, and cost reduction, rather than embarking on a contentious debate over the country’s governance structure
