- Jega brands President, Governors visionless, abandoning governance
Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari, on Saturday proclaimed that “since the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914, the country has never had a better government and President like Muhammad Buhari.”
This is as former chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who himself conducted the 2015 elections that brought President Buhari to power, Professor Attahiru Jega, has condemned Nigerian government, the President, Governros and Local Government Chairmen of being visionless and abandoned governance.
Governor Masari made the controversial claim in Katsina during a rally organised by the beneficiaries of the Federal government’s Social investment Programme (NSIP) in the State under the leadership of the Social Protection and Good Family Value Initiative (SPGFVI).
The rally was aimed at calling on the Federal government and the National Assembly to enact a law that would make the programme a permanent one.
Masari’s claim about the pre-eminence of Buhari’s Presidency in Nigeria comes as many critics label it as the worst and wishing for its termination, even ahead of the end of its tenure.
But the Katsina Governor, who himself is faced with worst label of incompetence, said President Buhari has laid a significant foundation which if properly utilised by the next administration, will assist in removing many Nigerians from poverty.
According to Masari, “therefore, with this initiative which no administration has ever thought of, the President needs more commendation and support to achieve the purpose of the programme. I wish to inform you that I am totally in support of this call for the president to make it a law before the end of his tenure. By doing such, it will continue to reduce the challenges Nigerians are facing.
“It is unfortunate for someone to wake up in the morning, thinking of what to eat, how to go to hospital or take their children to school, but this programme has reduced such difficulties for people. And if a law is enacted and it becomes permanent, no government will come and stop it, and Nigerians will continue to enjoy the programme and it will continue to reduce unemployment.”
Gov. Masari assured the beneficiaries of the programme that their message for an enactment of a law that would protect the programme will get to President Buhari and the National Assembly.
He further called on the beneficiaries to also write to their representatives at the National Assembly on their demand, so that they can pursue the issue at their levels.
Professor Jega, who spoke at the National Convention of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) as party leader said in that “our governments at the State, Local and Federal levels have long abandoned governance. And no country can develop without good governance, without good people driving good governance.
“Nigeria politics has been captured and dominated, and in fact it’s even being destroyed by people who are self-serving, who are not patriotic, who are visionless in terms of how this country can develop. It is very important that we all as members of this progressive party dedicate our efforts to ensuring that the electoral process brings out good people in elected positions in our country.
“That is the only way that we can stop the brigandage, the recklessness and the destruction of our country by people who are self-serving and only thinking of themselves, and are not thinking about our children or grandchildren or the future of our country. So I urge us to go back and realise that the work of ahead of us is a lot; it may even seem difficult, but it is not impossible to do it.”
Congratulating the newly elected NEC members of the party, Jega urged them to go back to their respective wards, local governments and states to mobilise members for the party.
“Let us go back and enlighten, let us recruit members into our party and let us fill the good candidates so that we can really begin to change the trajectory of governance from bad to good as we move towards the 2023 elections.
“I call upon the newly elected executive at the national level to continue to do the good work that they have already been doing but to also ensure that they are inclusive, that they open opportunities for greater participation by all members into the affairs of our party.
“A long time ago, our mentor, our father, the late Malam Aminu Kano, said that the PRP is the party of the future, and the future begins now. So, we must begin to dictate our efforts and the energies into building that future for our children, for our grandchildren and in fact for many of us who are young, it’s possible to have a good future.”
The party is hoping to increase its membership base to 30,000 in each of the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.
At Saturday’s Convention, the party swore in new national executives.
The PRP prides itself as the oldest political party in Nigeria, having being initially registered in 1978.
According to the party’s National Chairman, Falalu Bello, the PRP is in merger talks with other political groups.
However, it does not plan to change its name or logo.