2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, has called for a national re-evaluation of Nigeria’s presidential system of government.
Cole who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, May 16, described the present system of government as unsuitable for the country’s socio-cultural realities.
Cole argued that Nigeria’s current political system, modelled after the American presidential system, is inherently incompatible with African governance structures and historical context.
According to Cole, the dissatisfaction with democratic governance is not unique to Nigeria but is widespread across the African continent. He attributed this to the imposition of Western governance models that do not reflect indigenous political traditions.
He said, “This American system that we call the presidential system in Nigeria, we need to go and readdress it. We cannot import the parliamentary system of the UK and expect it to work here, nor can we import a presidential system and think it will succeed.
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“Every African in their country—ask them if they are satisfied with their political system and the democracy they have—they will tell you no. Why? Because it is contrary to who we are, absolutely contrary.”
Citing the political models of countries like China and several Arab nations, Cole noted that successful nations often develop governance systems rooted in their history, values, and cultural context, rather than replicating foreign models wholesale.
He urged Nigerian leaders to look inward and craft a governance structure that reflects the nation’s pre-colonial political heritage, which he emphasised had proven to be effective in the past.
“Let us build an African, Nigerian-focused political system. We’ve had one before. Before the Europeans came, during the slave trade, we had our own systems. So, what are we running away from? We know what to do.”
Cole also criticised the structural weaknesses of the presidential system in Nigeria, arguing that it enables power concentration among a few individuals and fails to support the growth of robust, accountable institutions.
“We are trying to build institutions modelled after the British system, but they do not fit within our cultural framework. This mismatch is a core reason why governance in Nigeria continues to struggle,” he explained.
The former APC gubernatorial candidate’s remarks have sparked renewed debate about Nigeria’s constitutional structure, with calls growing louder for reforms that reflect the country’s unique identity and aspirations.
