The convener of the New Nigeria Group and Presidential aspirant, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, has declared that “Nigeria is old, expiring and no longer works for many but few individuals”.
Ohuabunwa who made the assertion in an address at a sensitisation/orientation peace/security programme organised by the International Peace Academy in partnership with the Abia State Government, regretted the select few individuals are holding the country to ransom at the expense of the masses.
In his address entitled:” Sustainable Peaceful Co-existence for Grass Roots Development”, Ohuabunwa said a new Nigeria must be born in 2023 if the country would survive the growing pressure for fragmentation.
The industrialist regretted that “predators pretending to be leaders” had put Nigeria on the reverse gear, hence the compelling need to rescue the country before it is pushed over the precipice.
He identified leadership failure and lack of competent de-tribalised patriots as the major bane of Nigeria.
The former Chairman, National Economic Summit also lamented the domination of Nigeria’s political space by people with a military background, which according to him, is the reason for leadership failure.
His words: “Nigeria’s political leadership stock seems to have been in short supply as the quality remains suspect. Nigeria seems to have lacked sufficient quantities of political leadership that has the right competencies, the right character and the right courage to begin to undo the wrongs inflicted on Nigeria by the military.
“Maybe, it’s because those with military background seem to have monopolized top Nigerian political leadership over these years, no one has taken the bold steps needed to reconfigure our country and build a truly United Nation.
”Added to this leadership failure, we seem to have bred many predators who pretend to be leaders. Because of their actions and inactions which seemed to pander to selfish and group interests with scant regard to the needs of the average Nigerians or the common good, the infractions, cleavages and inequities seem to be widening at community, sub-ethnic and ethnic Nationality levels and worse so at the National levels.
“The emerging feelings of injustice, inequity and unfair play have combined with pervading poverty and endemic corruption to bring our Nation to a state of social disequilibrium manifesting as severe insecurity across the Nation.
“Communities and nations rise and fall on the quality of their leadership. Yes the Nigerian situation may not have been entirely caused by the present crop of leadership, it is their challenge to halt further drifting of Nigeria into disunity, disquiet and possible self-destruct.
“And that is why we are leading the New Nigeria Group to birth a new Nigeria in 2023 that WILL WORK FOR ALL.
“It is because this old and expiring Nigeria no longer works for many, just working for a few that there is disquiet and lack of peace in our country Nigeria.
”To do this, we must install a crop of Enlightened, De-tribalism, Visionary, Competent, Honest and Courageous Leadership that will do the needful to change the narrative.
”This leadership will rejig our national structure and systems, restore justice, equity and fair play in the nation and lead a cultural value re-orientation turning Nigeria into a globally competitive nation, that is at PEACE with itself.”
Ohuabunwa further traced Nigeria’s political woes to the 1999 constitution which he accused the military of forcing on the people without their inputs.
“The 1999 constitution is completely unrelated to the 1959 or 1963 constitutions which were written by the founders of Independent Nigeria.
“This is the primary reason for the broken relationship and has contributed to the Nigerian conundrum.”