Obasanjo backs call for home-grown system, says Western democracy has failed

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Tuesday, gave his support to a group of 60 members of the House of Representatives pushing for a change from the current presidential system of government to a home-grown parliamentary system.

Obasanjo spoke at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja during an interactive session with members of the group who hosted the former president to get his advice and inputs in their push for a home-grown system of government that will better serve the country.

The meeting which was chaired by a leader of the group and Minority Leader of the House, Kingsley Chinda, had 17 other members in attendance.

Other lawmakers at the meeting include Abdussamad Dasuki, Olawale Raji, Kabir Ibrahim Tukura, Abdullahi El-Rasheed,Umar Yusuf Yabo, Abdulmaleek Danga, Esosa Iyawe, Aliyu Aminu Garu, Shehu Dalhatu, Ibe Okwara Osonwa, Muhammed Bello Shehu, Gwacham Maureen, Joshua Audu Gana, Blessing Amadi, Engr M.B Jajere, Afam Victor Ogene and Kwamoti Laori.

Chinda, alongside 59 other members of the House, have sponsored a bill seeking amendments to the 1999 Constitution to transition from the current presidential system to the parliamentary system of government.

The former president, who commended the lawmakers for their quest for a home-grown system of government, said the western liberal democracy the country inherited from the British, has failed to serve the country well.

He said there was a need for an Afro-centric and home-grown system of government which puts the country’s cultures, values and traditions into consideration.

“Let me go back to the beginning where we got it wrong; the western liberal democracy; and when you look at their western liberal democracy, it is a product of their history. A product of their culture and a product of their way of life.

“There is nothing in the liberal democracy that is African, nothing. How did we use to rule ourselves before the colonial powers? We had empires; we had thriving kingdoms but we didn’t rule ourselves with opposition. We rule ourselves with consensus.

“Our problem started from what we inherited from our colonial masters but we cannot blame them because they gave us what they had. They couldn’t have given us what they do not have. And it is up to us to do what you are now trying to do. For a long time, we ought to have sat down to internalise things because even the owners of liberal democracy; it is now failing them.

“How are we going to get a system that is going to be what you are going to give and not what you will get? It can be done and it should be done; and that is what you are now saying because, if you get it well, you will get a critical mass that will understand what you are trying to do and you need to get that critical mass.

“Let us put our heads together and look for something African. You can call it Afrodemocracy or anything but democracy must be there. If we are able to get that, we will get it right. Let’s talk more about it; let’s debate and let’s dialogue”, he said.

Speaking earlier at the interactive session, a leader of the group of lawmakers and Minority Leader of the House, Kingsley Chinda, said the current presidential system of government being practiced is “so burdensome” and too expensive to run.

He said their quest is to have a system that will be more responsive, responsible and accountable to the people.