Agbakoba Criticizes Nigeria’s Democracy, Renews Call for Departure from Western Model

Olisa Agbakoba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has once again expressed doubts about the sustainability of Nigeria’s current democratic system and called for a comprehensive rethinking of the country’s political structure.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today show Monday, Agbakoba denounced the dissolution of opposition organizations into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), cautioning that such political realignments undermine democracy rather than bolster it.

Despite having practiced democracy for more than 20 years, Nigeria has had numerous governance failures, according to Agbakoba, who was reflecting on the country’s political trajectory since independence.

“I assumed that by now, things would have improved. However, something remains essentially flawed despite the passage of 25 years of democracy and military takeovers since 1960, he added.

Agbakoba questioned whether the Western democratic model was appropriate for Nigeria’s sociopolitical environment. He claims that Nigerians, who are more focused on their quality of life than on the system of government, have not benefited from democracy as it has been imported from Europe and America.

He said, “Nigerians aren’t necessarily interested in who the president is.” “They are looking for someone who will supply food, decent housing, safe roads, good schools, and timely salaries.” Those are the actual problems.

Agbakoba advised authorities and individuals to think about a governance model that puts results ahead of political formalities, citing examples from nations like China that have seen tremendous success without embracing Western-style democracy.

He underlined that long-standing language, religious, and ethnic divides in Nigeria make the country’s problems worse. “Is this current system really working for us?” is a tough but important question that we must ask ourselves.

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Agbakoba’s comments coincide with a number of opposition party politicians switching to the APC. Concerned about this trend, the former president of the Nigerian Bar Association said that it threatens the checks and balances of democracy.

“If opposition parties think that defecting is a strategic move, I’m here to tell them that’s not the case. It harms common Nigerians and erodes the system. The willingness to fill the void, even when it isn’t politically advantageous, is the real test of leadership.

He urged morally upright leaders to eschew the allure of power and instead work to create a strong, reliable opposition that holds the government responsible—a necessary component of any healthy democracy.