A respected cleric has some harsh words for Nigerian politicians, who he said have turned themselves to the nation’s greatest problem.
The Anglican Bishop of Amichi Diocese, Anambra State, Rt. Rev. Ephraim Ikeakor, said that Nigeria would have made accelerated progress if not for the greed and selfishness of its politicians.
He stated this on Sunday while reacting to some national issues.
The bishop said the call in some quarters for another National Conference “is good, but what happened to the one already held and is being sat on, in spite of calls by Nigerians for its recommendations to be implemented.
“We will rather call for restructuring Nigeria instead of another National or Constitutional Conference. That is not even where the main problem of Nigeria or the solution lies.
“The greatest problem of Nigerian is its political office holders; they are greedy and selfish. You hardly see any patriotic one. What have they done in the face of the insecurity in the country, if the President is not doing anything?
“What has the lawmakers done to address the security and other problems in Nigeria? They cannot talk because they have one or more interests to protect or one case or the other to answer and, therefore, have become blind to the impunity in the country.
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“The Nigerian democracy has a fundamental problem and until it is addressed, the crisis in the country will continue; backwardness and corruption, hatred and violent crime will persist because there is so much greed among politicians.
“The ex-governors are using the Nigerian Senate as retirement ground, after spending eight years in office and enjoying all the paraphernalia of office. How can a country move forward with that arrangement?
“The Senators have images to launder because when you talk about corruption and insecurity, it is there with them in the Senate. Look at the killings in Nigeria. What have they done to stop them?
“These vices militating against Nigeria will persist if the lawmakers refuse to change some of the greedy and selfish aspects of our democracy. Majority of our politicians, particularly governors, are very greedy and selfish. They are the worst in Africa. The legislature has abandoned the major aspect of their jobs, which is checks and balances.”