Senator Blames Systemic Failures, Not Presidents, for Nigeria’s Governance Challenges
A senior member of Nigeria’s ruling party has argued that the nation’s difficulties stem from systemic and structural issues within its political system, rather than the performance of any single president.
Senator Bala Na’Allah, a prominent figure in the All Progressives Congress (APC), made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’, monitored on Monday. He contended that Nigeria’s constitutional framework, designed to ensure balanced governance, is often undermined by a collective failure of commitment from the political class.
Na’Allah, who serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Goals and National Planning, acknowledged widespread public dissatisfaction with national leadership but urged a deeper analysis. “When the framers of our constitution decided to sit down and put everything in place… I believe that they wanted a situation where there would be committed Democrats who would put the spirit of the constitution into play,” he stated.
The senator argued that the public frequently misplaces blame. “Nigerians have failed to understand that there must be something somewhere that is working against the smooth running of the affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and all of us have decided not to look at it; we would rather say, ‘it is Mr President,’” he said. He framed this as an issue of “collective responsibility,” suggesting the constitutional division of powers means governance failures cannot be attributed to the presidency alone.
His central critique focused on elected officials’ adherence to their oaths of office. “Go and look at the constitution. Look at the oath of office each elected official has taken… and then put it on their face and tell me how many of them have succeeded in keeping to the spirit of that constitution,” Na’Allah challenged.
The comments highlight a persistent debate in Nigeria about accountability within its federal system. By shifting focus from presidential performance to constitutional fidelity and the conduct of all elected leaders, Na’Allah’s perspective calls for a reassessment of where responsibility for national challenges lies. The discussion underscores ongoing tensions between constitutional design and political practice in Africa’s most populous democracy.
