While criticising Nigeria’s democracy, calling it a “winners take all” system, Former Ekiti governor Kayode Fayemi on Tuesday said Nigeria should reconsider an alternative to its current political system, saying its acrimonious outcomes have rendered it unsustainable.
“What we need is alternative politics,” Mr Fayemi said at an event marking the 60th birthday of Professor Udenta Udenta in Abuja on Tuesday afternoon. “My own notion of alternative politics is that you can’t have 35 per cent of the vote and take 100 per cent. It won’t work.”
Mr Fayemi said Nigeria’s political structure should reflect the pattern of votes across the country. Nigeria currently operates a federal constitutional system that allows anyone who scored the most votes from scores of candidates to be president. The country has no run-off arrangement that eliminates candidates and ultimately picks a winner after a few rounds, in case no one scores above 50 per cent in the first round.