'Resource Control, Bane of Good Governance'
By Gboyega Akinsanmi
Former president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Chief Wole Olanipekun, has attributed poor governance and leadership in the country to unhealthy and inordinate ambition of ruling class to control the resources of the cuntry.
Olanipekun disclosed this to THISDAY in Lagos that most stakeholders in Nigerian politics had shifted attention from good governance or primary objectives of the offices they contested for to the realisation of their personal goals.
He said the idea of bringing ethnic sentiment to the politics could not help the situation of things in the country, adding that the affairs of Nigerians should be committed and entrusted in the hands of men who could uphold the country effectively, fairly and justly.
Also explaining the predicament of NBA in proffering lasting panaceas to Niger Delta crisis, he lamented that Itsekiri had refused to submit their memorandum to the committee set up by the association to look into the crisis rocking the area.
He added that "I think the problem of Warri and other areas of the country is that of who would control the resources and the same problem is applicable to all ethnic groups in the country either majority or minority."
He said the fear of marginalisation arising from the constitution of the country had increased the tempo of ethnic crises across the nation and taught stakeholders in politics to keep raising alarms over zoning principle.
Complaining on the nature of the constitution, Olanipekun maintained that the groundwork of the country's constitution was not good enough, stressing that there was an urgent need to put a new legal framework that would meet the aspirations of all groups in place
He added that "if we have a constitution that is credible, that is fair, that is perfect and that is equitable which exactly what NBA is pressing for, surely every body would have hope and confidence in the country.
"We would not bother where you are located, where you are resident. we would not bother even at that particular time who governs provided that the person is credible. We would not have the problem that we have at hand now.
"Whether this it would be a Yoruba man, next year it would be an Hausa man, no one would so far the person does the would of the people. So let the best in the country come and govern us. Let us have a constitution that we can repose at least fair confidence," he said.
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