A former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo says the character of Nigerians in government must change in for the country to attain the desired development befitting the status of the Nation.
Receiving in the audience six members of the House of Representatives, and co-sponsors of the bill on a single six-year term and rotation between the North and the South led by a former chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Downstream Petroleum, Ikenga Ugo Chinyere, Chief Obasanjo noted that most of those in government today should right now be behind bars.
He pointed out that though Nigerians must rethink the country’s democracy, the three arms of the government: the legislature, the executive, the judiciary; the civil service, and the private sector must change their ways.
“So, the very beginning is ourselves, yes system, yes we have to rethink our democracy but the character of people in government must change. With all due respect, most of those in government should right now be behind bars or in gallows.”
“To me, our main problem is ourselves and until we take care of ourselves, if we like let us adopt a single term of six years, one term of four years among others with the same mentality and same way of doing things, nothing will change”, the former President opined.
Chief Obasanjo therefore called for moral rearmament and positive reorientation among Nigerians, describing the current situation in the country as sitting on a keg of gunpowder.
“Nigeria is a nation where we take two steps forward, one step aside and four steps backward. So, we sitting on a keg of gunpowder that could explode anytime if we fail to take courageous and decisive steps to address the multi various challenges facing the country,” he pointed out.
He further blamed some of the developmental challenges facing Nigeria today on the refusal of succeeding governments to build on the foundation he laid while he was in power.
“How I wish that the succeeding governments are building on the foundation we laid even if not so fast as one would have wanted it. But sadly, the blocks we put there are even being removed.
“What I know about Nigeria is that yes, if we get it right – the leadership and the team because one tree does not make a forest – you need a good leader but you also need a good team for a well-done job”, Obasanjo observed.
