Former governor of Rivers State and immediate past Minister of Transpiration, Rotimi Amaechi, has regretted that governance in Nigeria has been very bad.
He attributed the development to a lack of accountability, saying people in positions of authority have been allowed to operate at will without being held accountable for their negative actions.
Speaking in Abuja at a fundraiser for former chief of the air staff and candidate for governor of Bauchi State, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar, rtd, he said that people who serve as governors without robbing their states’ treasuries do so out of self-discipline and a desire to instal good leadership, not because they feel that someone is watching them or checking up on them.
He praised Abubakar, the recently-retired ambassador of Nigeria to the Republic of Chad, as a superb retired public servant whom he had known when the latter served as the commander of the Nigerian Air Force unit in Rivers State during the period when he was in power as the state governor.
He claimed that Lt. General Tukur Buratai, the former Chief of Army Staff and Brigade Commander of the Nigerian Army, as well as Sadique Abubakar, had never asked him for money before leaving the state since “people lobby to be transferred to Rivers State to make money.”
Sadique oversaw the Nigerian Air Force in Rivers State, the individual stated. At the time, General Buratai also served as the Brigade Commander. I hope more Nigerians were like you because I never felt pressured to pay you money until you left, which shocked me because Nigerians typically come to Rivers State to rob people. They lobby to be posted there when it’s time for postings because they want the money. And if you recall, that was during the height of the fight against crime. Since Sadique and Buratai made me the no-nonsense governor, when Nigerians were stating that Amaechi was a no-nonsense governor, they were unaware of this.
“Today, I appeal to the residents of Bauchi to reconsider Nigeria’s poor government. It’s bad because we elect officials who have no idea what a governorship entails. You elect governors who consider their position as a job and who are there to make money. For all of you, it is regrettable that people are not held accountable for their actions.
And what’s worse is that Nigerians don’t give a damn about holding people responsible for their actions. Therefore, if you are elected governor, it is your discipline that will determine how you behave, not the fact that someone will watch you or punish you.
“If you want, travel to Bauchi State and grab whatever you want; no one will question you. In fact, Nigerians will do a dance for you in your home. Therefore, since there is no way to verify anyone, cast your vote for anyone who has the self-control to leave your money at the Bauchi State Government House.
The wisest course of action is to vote for anyone who fears God, is content with serving you, believes that the public office he holds is for the people, and is aware that he could not rule if there were no people. “Remember,” he said. According to Vanguard report.