From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, yesterday carpeted the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the spate of insecurity, poverty and unemployment in the country.
The governor who spoke at a book launch: “Scents of Power” written by Amanze Obi, in Abuja, said the flagrant marginalisation of some regions would continue to embolden agitations across the country.
He said no one political party had the capacity to govern Nigeria and suggested the country be returned to “politics of shared values and common grounds” where the command of national defence and appointment of service chief would not short- change any ethnic nationality.
He advised Nigerians to “collectively prioritise national security over sectional interests, in so far that by exercising such restraints, the requirements of justice are not sacrificed. Second, we must sacrifice national survival over corporate profit and personal aggrandisement. Profit and individual comfort only exist where there is peace and security.”
Mohammed added: “… based on my experience over the years, particularly on account of developments in the past few years, and as I look into the future, I posit that no single party or winning candidate can govern Nigeria as in the old way or indeed as it has been governed since 2015 at the very least.
“There has to be a return to the politics of shared values and common grounds; a politics that is defined by the inter-party amity and mutual conversation that heralded the unity ushered in by the creative political engineer- ing of the post-1999 era. It may not be a sufficient condition but as past experiments such as the NPC-NCNC coalition of the sixties or the NPN-NPP Accord of the Second Republic showed, such efforts at inclusion staved off imminent implosion while giving time for more permanent solutions.
“I advocate inclusive governance and shared power and positions at every level. This is especially so in the command of national defence and the security apparatus where equity and social justice must be the guiding terms of engagement. In the spirit of diversity and accommodation, we require a Constitutional renovation process that answers to the yearnings of our diverse people and not the narrow frame constructed by parliamentarians. The voices of our people should be heard and present in deciding the future of our beloved nation. Our man- date and responsibility demands this as it is at their prerogative that we serve.”
Bala added: “From the formation of the nation to the present stage of our national development, we have faced traumatic challenges, weathered immense historical setbacks and overcome incredible existential odds. Nevertheless, we preserve as God’s special gift to the Black Race. This claim may sound outlandish given the current state of the nation under the watch of the All Progressive Congress (APC) government wherein massive youth unemployment, highest percentage of out of school children and a lack of inclusivity in government have become tragic milestones.”
The former FCT minister, charged Nigerians to approach the 2023 plebiscite with vigour, passion to change the narrative.
“The politics of 2023 are around the corner so we should prepare for it with a patriotic vi- sion, great vigour and a sense of justice anchored on the practical realities of our national existence. The country, now more than ever, needs honest, virile, visionary and capable leadership.