- Former Portlaoise Mayor Rotimi Adebari doubts Nigeria’s return to parliamentary system, citing self-serving political interests hindering change
- Adebari suggests Nigeria’s current presidential system aligns with greed-driven political ambitions, contrasting with the benefits of regional autonomy in parliament
Rotimi Adebari, a former Mayor of Portlaoise in the Republic of Ireland and notable Nigerian-born Irish politician, has voiced skepticism regarding Nigeria’s potential return to a parliamentary system of governance.
Speaking to reporters in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Adebari asserted that the intricate web of self-serving political interests among Nigerian politicians would likely impede any shift back to the parliamentary system.
He contended that the prevalence of greed-driven political ambitions aligns more favorably with Nigeria’s current presidential system rather than the parliamentary model.
Adebari elaborated on his stance, highlighting the benefits he perceives in the parliamentary system, which he believes offers each region the autonomy to progress at its own pace, a dynamic witnessed in other nations.
“There is no type of government that does not have its own issues, but if we look at our peculiarity we will discover that the parliamentary system of government is better than this.
“The parliamentary will give every region the opportunity to grow and develop at their own pace as we have seen in other climes. Let each region govern itself so that each region can grow at its own pace.
“But we changed to the American style, presidential system of government, the most expensive system of government to run anywhere in the world, but that is what we have chosen to run.
“But you might say that it’s very successful in the US, why is ours the way it is? But you have to remember that it requires a human being to make it work.”