Tonye Cole, the 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, has argued that Nigeria’s adoption of the presidential system of government is unsuitable for the country’s unique context.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Cole urged a critical reassessment of Nigeria’s current political structure, advocating for a system that aligns more closely with the nation’s culture and history.
According to Cole, the presidential model in use has failed to build strong institutions or ensure accountability, and instead, it leaves room for manipulation by a powerful few. He stressed that successful nations have developed governance models that reflect their cultural and societal realities, citing Arab nations and China as examples of countries that have rejected Western political frameworks.
“This American-style presidential system we practice needs to be re-evaluated,” Cole said. “We cannot simply import the UK’s parliamentary system or the U.S. presidential system and expect them to work here. These systems are not inherently compatible with our societal structure.”
He further argued that many Africans feel disconnected from their political systems because they do not resonate with indigenous values. Cole emphasized the need to return to a locally-rooted model, pointing out that Nigeria had its own functional governance systems long before colonization.
“Nigeria is trying to build institutions based on the British model, but they don’t align with our culture,” he said. “Let’s design a political system that reflects our identity. We had systems in place even during the slave trade era—so why are we running from what we know works?”
Cole’s comments add to the growing conversation around constitutional reform and the search for a governance model better suited to Nigeria’s complexities.
