Tony Cole, the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 elections in Rivers State, done said that the imported presidential system won’t work in Nigeria. Talking on Channels TV’s politics Today, Cole mentioned that the system in Nigeria was designed to be hijacked by a few people, saying the issue should be addressed.
The American system, known as the presidential system in Nigeria, needs to be looked at. Cole expressed doubts about importing a parliamentary system from the UK and making it work here. He strongly believes that the presidential system is not suitable for Nigeria, as well as for every African country. Are we really happy with the system and democracy we adopted? Not really sure why this matters, but it seems to be contrary to who we are.
Cole pointed out that the system can be easily exploited by a few individuals, as it lacks the necessary institutions for accountability. He emphasized that the institutions in Nigeria are modeled along the British system, which is not compatible with our own system. Nigeria must position itself as a strong negotiator on the foreign policy table to make things right. If Nigeria gets it right, the whole African continent will start paying attention. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like Nigeria holds a lot of influence. But when you hold influence, you shouldn’t be begging. So, you need to have a clear idea of what is good for the country.
