Afenifere, a prominent Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organization, has praised the National Assembly for acknowledging the imperative to reduce governance costs and overhaul Nigeria’s political framework.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, Afenifere welcomed the proposed shift from a presidential to a parliamentary system but emphasized that the nation requires more than mere systemic changes.
Ajayi underscored, “It is essential to return to the pre-military incursion arrangement of 1966.”
The organization’s remarks come in response to the introduction of a bill in the House of Representatives aimed at transitioning Nigeria’s governance model. The bill, sponsored by 60 lawmakers led by Wale Raji (APC) representing Epe Federal Constituency in Lagos State, has moved past the initial reading.
While acknowledging the parliamentary system proposal, Afenifere stressed that Nigeria’s socio-political challenges transcend governmental structures and are deeply entrenched in the current system. Ajayi reiterated, “The focus must be on restructuring the country. Merely amending the constitution without addressing the structural issues would be superficial.”
Afenifere also commended the lawmakers for recognizing the effectiveness of governance during the First Republic.
