By Abbati bako
Both the Presidential system of government and Parliamentary system are Liberal Democracies. Also, there are other systems created with a view to govern nations and human societies. Direct Democracy, Social Democracy, Islamic Democracy, Socialist Democracy or Socialism or whatever terms you wish call it are all parts of the means for human governance to avoid anarchy. This means that anarchy is an old system that can’t be tolerated in modern world.
For example, nations such as Sudan, Libya, Somalia are now failed states; meaning, there is no realizable government or tentative leader in those countries to conduct any business as a leader of that country. In the current global modernism; democracy is the alternative way for governance. But the question is what type are you ready to use for governance in your nation?
One of our late elders in Nigeria Yusuf Maitama Sule suggested years ago to create what he opines as “Afrocracy” in Nigeria and other African nations. The late elder state-man (also) shed light that the system will reflect the tradition, culture, religion, environment, trade and social interactions as well as family welfarism.
Historically, Britain has a very long experience on deciding what type of system of governance will they adopt? Research indicates that for the past 1500 years, this global great power tried different types of governance but they settled on a Parliamentary system of governance in the 18th century. Since then the system developed overtime.
The current global power of the world, the United States of America have settled on Liberal Democracy (Presidential system of government) for the past 270 years and started with one party system that was “Republican”. Then years later, Democrats and other small political parties. Since then they do their best to maintain the system by the subsequent 47 Presidents; meaning from George Washington to Joe Biden. It was the British Empire that colonized America for about 300 years despite that American leaders never thought of shifting the Presidential System of Government to Parliamentary because they were the England colony. English colonized 57 nations in the world including Nigeria and they are called “CommonWealth Nations”.
Unfortunately in Nigeria today some N/Assembly members started agitations to change the system of governance from Presidential to Parliamentary system with a view to cut cost of governance?
Does that mean cutting cost is the only reason why that will trigger the rationale behind the changing of the system to Parliamentary? Or the operators of the system’s failure to succeed in the past 25 years of operation? On the other hand, is the system faulty or the operators? And again, do the agitators have a hidden agenda against the Nigerian nation or some sections of the country? There are many questions to ask the agitators and that will come later.
Every Nigerian should know that the country is still in transitional democracy for the past 25 years, not advanced democracy like the USA, UK, France, Canada, Japan and other advanced democracies. The period of 25 years in Nigeria seems to be too meager to see positive results. Especially considering the bastardization of the 57 key elements, rules and principles of the system.
Everything good must have rules and regulations that govern that system including Democracy. Be it Social Democracy, Presidential system or Parliamentary system are all the same. What are those rules and regulations of the system and have they been correctly practiced in Nigeria or not?
To be continued InshaAllah
Abbati Bako,psc,bsis,Kent,UK/Researcher in International Politics, Skyline University Kano, Nigeria
Peoplesmind
Peoplesmind