Elected officials selfish, undermining citizens’ welfare, Jega laments

Obasanjo calls for inclusion of technocrats in government

Former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, has said since the transition to civil democratic rule in 1999, Nigeria has been afflicted by the misfortune of leaders who are neither selfless nor visionary, but essentially greedy for power and money, as well as consolidators of bad democratic governance.

This is as former President Olusegun Obasanjo said many technocrats can help improve or build a robust economy in the country but wondered why Nigerians have to hang on to mediocrity that has subjected them to harsh economic situations.

The former INEC boss argued that the country’s current rating using comparative global indices tells a sorry tale about the nature and character of the trajectory of its ‘democratic development’ in the last 25 years of democracy.

Jega spoke yesterday when he delivered a keynote address at the opening of this year’s directors’ conference by the Chartered Institute of Directors (CIoD) Nigeria, in Lagos, on the theme ‘Good Governance as a Catalyst for Economic Recovery, Growth and Development’.

He said it is an unwholesome image, which leaves much to be desired, and which calls for attention and urgent reforms and repositioning if Nigeria was to attain its potential of using its vast resources to address the socioeconomic needs of its citizens, as well as be a globally competitive member of the comity of nations.

Jega, who is a Professor of Political Economy at the Department of Political Science, Bayero University, Kano, pointed at elected governments and legislators, at the federal, state and local governance levels, revealing a sorry picture and evidence of systematic undermining of the welfare and wellbeing of citizens as well as their needs and aspirations, by elected public officials.

Obasanjo, who was a guest at the valedictory programme organised by Chrisland University for the out-going Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Chinedum Babalola, stated that Nigeria has men and women of substance who can lead the country to where it ought to be.

“Nobody will do it for us, we have to do it for ourselves, and I believe there are people everywhere and we just have to look for them. Two major development banks in Africa are headed by Nigerians and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is also headed by a Nigerian, same for the number two person in the United Nations (UN). Why are we hanging on to mediocre and then languishing in a harsh economy?”

He then urged Nigerians to look inward and diversify the economy through agriculture, tourism, industry and as well as education.