Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Olisa Agbakoba has called for a rejig of Nigeria’s democratic model, faulting the current setup as “not working.”
Agbakoba made this assertion on Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today, questioning the level of commitment by politicians in Nigeria, whom he accused of being only interested in grabbing power.
“I thought that things would have been a lot better than what we have today.
”And I’ve looked at it very carefully, and I say something must be wrong, that after, not even 25, let’s go to 1960: so we have had military coups in and out, then finally democracy for over 25 years.
”Something is fundamentally wrong in a process that is not delivering,” Agbakoba said.
He suggested that Nigeria should shed off the Western model of democracy, which he believes was not suitable for the country.
He added, “In my reflections, and I’ve reflected quite a lot, I just came to a conclusion that it’s time to shed ourselves of this Western model the Oyibo model, the model that the Europeans and the Americans have foisted on us , it’s not working.”
Agbakoba noted that Nigerians were primarily interested in a system that provides the basic necessities of life, such as food, good schools, good roads, and timely payment of salaries.
“If you ask Nigerians, broadly speaking, right now: ‘Who would you want to vote for?’ They will just tell you we want to vote for food in our tummies, good schools, good roads, pay us our salaries on time, housing , the things that make them comfortable, ” he said.
He cited China’s growth despite not practicing democracy, emphasising that Nigerians were more concerned with a president who could deliver on their needs rather than the president’s identity.
“Nigerians are not really interested in who the president is. They’re interested in a president who will deliver.
”That’s why it’s necessary to also be sure that you have a good president.”
Agbakoba urged Nigerians to start a conversation about the effectiveness of the current democratic model, questioning whether it was working for the country
. “So I want the conversation to start by asking the question. Is this thing working for us? My own answer is that the Western model of democracy, maybe it’s working in Europe, but it’s certainly not working here.”
He also faulted the recent wave of defections from opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), stating that it would weaken democracy rather than strengthen it.
“If the opposition thinks that they’re making any sense, I’d better tell them tonight they’re not. And if they think they have a chance for 2027, they have two years to wake up.”
Agbakoba emphasised the need for committed individuals to form a strong opposition that could make democracy work in Nigeria.
“But if the answer is to keep defecting, that’s not going to help Nigerians because it will not strengthen democracy. It would rather weaken it, and that’s the big shame.
”So, in reality, the real challenge is, ‘Where are those people who are prepared to sacrifice to be in the opposition and make it work?’ That is the challenge. That is the only way that Nigeria can work, ” stated.
