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This was first published on September 23, 2019. Considering the recent moves to return Nigeria to regionalism, I see the need to repeat it. Since man became aware of himself and realised that whether by mutual arrangement or contrived by nature, there are always leaders and followers, communities fashioned out ways and means in which to live together under organised systems to regulate and conduct their affairs.

From primitive father figure leadership to the animalistic instinct of the strongest leading the flock, man has experimented with many ways in which to live in harmony with one another and with the larger community. Since then, nations have tinkered with various forms, some of which developed into an absolute monarchy (absolutism), limited monarchy (constitutional monarchy), direct democracy and representative democracy. Others are dictatorship, oligarchy, totalitarianism and theocracy.



The presidential system of governance, on which we based our 1979 constitution, and first practised in governance that year, is modelled after the American system. The presidential system is based on a tripod – the executive, legislature and judiciary, with the head of government, called the president, leading the executive branch. It is both a democratic and republican system of government with fixed tenures for elected officials.

The presidential system of government is seen as democratic because the electorate directly elected the president and is, therefore, directly answerable t.

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