Defections Can’t Fix a Flawed System – Agbakoba Calls for Overhaul of Nigeria’s Democracy
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olisa Agbakoba, has criticized the ongoing wave of defections from opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), warning that such moves will not solve Nigeria’s democratic challenges.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Agbakoba described Nigeria’s current democratic system as ineffective, arguing that the Western-style model imposed since independence is no longer suitable for the country’s unique realities.
“I thought that things would have been a lot better than what we have today,” Agbakoba said. “After reflecting deeply, I’ve come to the conclusion that something is fundamentally wrong. We’ve had democracy for over 25 years, yet the process is not delivering.”
He added that the system, heavily borrowed from Western countries, has failed to meet the needs of Nigerians. “It’s time to shed this Oyibo model – the European and American style of governance. It’s not working for us,” he stated.
Agbakoba emphasized that most Nigerians are less concerned with political ideologies and more interested in access to basic needs such as food, housing, healthcare, and education.
Condemning the frequent political defections, he argued that they weaken rather than strengthen the democratic system. “If the solution is to keep defecting, then we’re not helping the country. It only undermines democratic institutions,” he warned.
The legal luminary called for a national conversation on developing a governance system tailored to Nigeria’s unique socio-political landscape, one that prioritizes service delivery over power struggles.
