Peter Obi Advocates for Parliamentary System in Nigeria at Harvard Lecture

The Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, expressed a strong belief in the need for Nigeria to adopt a parliamentary system of government.

Obi argued that the current presidential system is not serving the country well, resulting in a lack of accountability and the persistence of bad leaders.

During his speech, Obi emphasized the importance of a system that allows for more direct interaction between the president and the citizens.

He suggested that a parliamentary system would enable the president to be a member of parliament and engage with the public at least once a month during parliamentary question time.

This, in his view, would ensure greater accountability and transparency.

Obi criticized the current presidential system, where the president can remain in office for four years without being answerable to the people.

He pointed out that under a parliamentary system, a motion of no confidence could be moved against a leader within two to three years, providing a mechanism for holding leaders accountable.

Furthermore, the presidential candidate expressed concern over the practice of leaders hiring “gangsters” to speak on their behalf, rather than directly addressing the people.

He believes that a parliamentary system would require the president to engage with the public and answer their questions without the need for intermediaries.

Obi’s call for a parliamentary system in Nigeria highlights the ongoing debate about the most effective form of government for the country.

As Nigeria continues to grapple with issues of governance and accountability, the views of influential figures like Peter Obi are likely to shape the conversation and potentially influence the direction of future political reforms.