By Henry Uche
The perennial woes of Nigerians as it is today may come to an end very soon only if eligible voters would do away with sentiments and vote wisely (without inducement of any sort) in the coming general elections.
Economic watchers (including foreign observers) believe that Nigeria, a blessed country but inflicted with bad leaders who have remorselessly and shamelessly raped the country to coma. To some, the citizens are suffering of ‘resource curse’ (a situation where people suffer untold hardship even though they are blessed with abundant human and natural resources).
With the 2023 general elections at hand, so many civil organizations are leaving no stone unturned in a bid to sensitise and empower voters for them to see the need to vote (in) capable and competent leaders into different levels of governance.
One of such Civil organisations is the Africa Leadership Group (ALG) who believe that mismanagement of public resources and maladministration has not only kept the country in economic dungeon but has elevated the country to a contemptible level of poverty capital of the world, hence the need to stop the giant of Africa from its profuse bleeding.
The group believes that if Nigerians must heave a sigh of relief from the current state of dystopia, the ugly narrative must be changed and the need to swiftly disabuse the minds of many Nigerians politically must be taken very serious to usher a people -centered (welfare) government.
For this purpose, the ALG in one of its Nigeria Leadership Series in a virtual Session again pushed and advocated for quality leadership across board, featuring an academic, Professor Remi Sonaiya who was former presidential candidate of KOWA Party.
With the host who is also the Chairman & Founder of ALG- Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, the session focused on Leadership and National Development as it affects our national and collective living.
Speaking during the session, Professor Sonaiya affirmed that Nigerians can really end the activities of economic
plunderers with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC), only if they can abruptly say ‘no’ to any form of baits presented in any guise by any person or group to lure them (electorate) into selling their votes.
According to her, its high time Nigerians jettison mundane gratifications and look up to the ultimate goal by exercising their franchise without fear or favour of any kind.
Sonaiya bemoaned Nigeria’s incessant borrowing and outsourcing solutions which could have been solved if the APC administration had looked inward for intelligent men and women.
“Stealing of public resources has kept Nigerians in abject poverty. After the general elections, I want to see a leader with a clear vision. A leader who will do the right thing at the right time and right place with the right resources, which guarantees right results,”
She frowned at the level of abandoned projects littered in the country, which is a proof of mental bankruptcy on the side of political leaders who have no Midas touch. “Deficiency in character, competency and capacity has done unprecedented harm to Nigerians over the years,” she affirmed.
On his part, Pastor Ighodalo expressed optimism in the resuscitation of the country saying, “Nigeria belongs to all of us; we’re not running to anywhere. What we need is credible leaders” he maintained.
He assured Nigerians that the group would continue to assemble experts across disciplines for a conscientious cross pollination and fertilization of ideas that would translate to economic growth and development for every Nigerian. He added that such brainstorming sessions were very essential for Nigeria’s economic health.
For other participants, they asserted that it was high time to end in toto: Kleptocracy, kakistocracy and gerontocracy in the body polity of Nigeria, by actively participating in politics as it affects every facet of our living, howbeit everyone must be involved in the move to restore the lost glory of the supposed giant of Africa.