- • Political leaders seek national solutions at Freedom Online’s fifth lecture
Political leaders across partisan lines yesterday urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to restructure Nigeria and make the country practise effective federalism.
The political leaders spoke in Lagos at the fifth yearly lecture of an online newspaper, Freedom Online, with the theme: 2023 – 2027: Nigerians, Elected Leaders and Expectations.
Though they faulted many areas in the nation’s life, the political leaders expressed optimism that the situation was not beyond redemption.
They urged all political leaders to make the needed sacrifices and changes for the country to enjoy effective federalism that works for all citizens.
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, who was the special guest speaker, noted that despite the challenges the country was facing, new political leaders have shown signs of tackling some of the issues militating against the nation’s progress and stability.
Read Also: Uzodimma’s legacies will live after him-Odili
Uzodimma, who was represented by his Information Commissioner Declan Emelumba, said: “Nigeria is about the only country in the world that has no common denominator as we have about 250 ethnic groups. So, communication is difficult.
“Notwithstanding our diversities, all Nigerians understand one thing, and that is good governance.
“I am happy that the calibre of political leaders at the helm of affairs in the country has what it takes to deliver on their electoral promises.”
Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, who was the keynote speaker, harped on the need to reposition Nigeria for greater good of all.
Diri, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, said: “It’s over 60 years after independence. It is fair to say that Nigeria has failed to rise to its full potentials our fore-fathers envisaged.”
The governor expressed the hope that Nigeria would rise again, if the leaders at all levels did the right things.
To fast-track national development, he said the media must be actively involved in all national matters.
A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, urged Nigerian leaders to live and lead for a better future.
The retired naval officer said all Nigeria was going through had happened in Judah and Jerusalem of old.
Referencing the book of Micah in the Bible, George said the country would rise again, if the citizens, especially the leaders, followed the dictates of good governance and enthrone the fear of God.
He said: “Let us put an end to inequality in the management and distribution of our resources.”
The former Ondo State military governor also decried fat financial allocations to legislators.
“A situation where the legislators collect humongous amounts and other Nigerians, who have served the nation meritoriously, are being given peanut as pension is unacceptable,” George said.
The PDP chief called for a new constitution to make the country work for everybody.
“The present constitution of Nigeria is from the military setting. In the military, orders come from the top. But in a democratic setting, power comes from the people.
“We must revisit how we want to run ourselves. The present constitution will never work.
There’s no part of this country that God has not endowed with one resources or the other,” he said.
George urged President Tinubu to revisit the report of 2015 National Confab.
“We need to revisit the restructuring report commissioned and completed by former President Goodluck Jonathan…
“I believe strongly that if we put the fear of God before us, Nigeria will rise again,” he added.
The Publisher of Freedom Online, Akin Akinadewo, said it was high time we drew a line between politics and governance.
The experienced journalist said the time had come for Nigeria to restore effective federalism and allow the regions, states and local governments to develop at their space.
He said: “When do we draw a line between politics and governance? We can’t be doing same thing in same way and expect a different result.
“A situation where the Federal Government takes a large chunk of the financial earnings in the country is no longer sustainable. The sharing formula is no longer sustainable. Development begins at the local and state levels. Agriculture can be done at both state and local levels.”
“The Federal Government cannot continue to use a central method if the expectations of Nigeria would be met. Nigerians want state police between now and 2027. Nigerians want governance to be decentralised. The world is moving and Nigeria cannot afford to be stagnant.”
By Emmanuel Badejo, Assistant Editor, Yinka Aderibigbe and Precious Igbonwelendu
