Date Published: 09/10/09

Sir,

Our politicians and governance

As far as Nigeria is concerned we have (mostly) leaders who care less about the governed but more of their private estates. Nigeria leaders have substituted penchant for personal aggrandizements and deceitful publicity blitzes for good governance. They do not say what they mean and never mean what they say.

But what pains me most is the gullibility of our citizenry that withdraw into shells and not caring, always feeling subdued. No one needs feel so; each citizen still has the potential of saying “ enough of this deceit ” because by shouting out leaders then know citizen ’ s right. 

Let us take instances: How could a President allocate N25billion in one year for servicing and fuelling generators that would provide power to (only) the presidency ’ s Aso Rock while the masses remain in darkness? Can the generation and distribution of 6000MW by December 2009 be achieved from the comforts available at the Aso Rock? How could a Governor claim that he spent N200billion in two years in (only) roads construction and reconstruction jobs in his state and the masses keep quiet; even if that state was never with a single good road before his tenure? How should EFCC swing into action only after the new CBN governor exposed the rot in our banking industry; it cannot claim ignorance of the rot before now. N255million cash was traced to a governor ’ s personal office after hauled in his official car yet the citizens are cowed into pretending it was no sin. The repentant Militant Boy Loaf said boldly that his foremost sponsor is an aide to the President and the Federal government after arming itself with the list of militants ’ sponsors (in a document recovered Tompolo ’ s enclave), the President still refused to release the names after promising? How could as the world ’ s fifth oil producer and having refineries, Nigeria still sends its crude-oil to a non-producer for refining and in turn buys back into Nigeria at exorbitant prices? And this is taken into consideration when government talks of subsidy as if its inefficiency is the fault of the masses.

What is really wrong with our leadership?

Alhaji Mutum Bello, 1 Bello Close, Bukuru-Jos