Atiku seeks good governance for Nigerians
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar
• PDP will bounce back to power, says Gov. Udom Emmanuel
• Ekweremadu rues manipulation, decline of Nigeria’s democracy
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that good governance was necessary to surmount the present political and economic challenges faced by the country.
Atiku, who spoke during the 2016 Silverbird Man of the Year award where he was honoured with ‘the Extraordinary Achievement award’, noted that right leadership was essential to move the nation to greater heights.
According to him, all that was required was the unity of Nigeria as well as right leadership to turn around this economic situation into prosperity.
Atiku, who reiterated that the youths were the greatest assets of any country, said: “We all at one time or the other were youths who have benefitted immensely from the generosity of this country and its resources.
“I believe that every responsible government should emphasis on youths development and empowerment so that our prosperity can return to us.”
Meanwhile, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has said that PDP would bounce back to power, urging members not to be distracted by the recent Appeal Court ruling that recognised the factional leader of the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the authentic chairman of the party.
Emmanuel, who said the judgment was a temporary setback, noted that it should not dampen the collective will of the people to forge ahead knowing that something good is about to happen in the PDP.
Also, Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has rued what he described as the manipulation of vital institutions of democracy and radical decline of democratic freedoms in Nigeria.
He said that the solidarity of all key organs and bodies of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) towards the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led PDP national caretaker committee, despite the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal on the party’s leadership tussle, showed that “it is not the hood that makes the monk.”
Ekweremadu made the assertions during the PDP national stakeholders’ meeting, which held at the Ekiti State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, yesterday.
The Deputy Senate President, who was particularly peeved at the sealing of the International Conference Centre, Abuja, the earlier announced venue of the meeting by the security agencies, said that such flagrant manipulation of critical institutions of democracy was not only dangerous, but bad news for the nation’s democracy.
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Atiku should tell Nigerians why we do not have good governance, how he would achieve good governance, and the characteristics of good governance.
As particulars or specifics, he should tell us what he would have done if he were President Buhari concerning currency, oil/fuel and other disadvantages that Nigerians are suffering in order to make them inexistent. He should also tell us what he would have done about Boko Haram, herdsmen vs natives, kidnapping, Southern Kaduna and other worrisome social problems that exist.
I believe the man has answered your questions on several fora while discussing RESTRUCTURING of the country’s governing system.
Well said.
What do you mean by “Well said”? I ask this question because he made a generalised statement and failed to back it up with the generalisation with answers to the questions that I asked. I have asked him to provide the answers if he is honest. If you have them provide them. It would be nice to have them so that readers and participants will examine them.
His policy document answered most of the questions you raised my friend;
RESTRUCTURING/Devolution of power to the federating units/ Resource control will solve the problem of marginalization and agitation for we want more.
State policing will solve the issues of petty crimes, kidnap, herdsmen etc…
Please read the document and you will understand better….Will to get it for you incase you cant..
Read my primary or general question and provide his answers to it: That is, what is good governance? How would he achieve it? What are the characteristics of good governance?
Concerning your response here:
What is the structure now? What structure did he advocate? How did he demonstrate that it will serve us better than the present structure?
How did he explain devolution of power? What historical antecedence necessitates devolution of power? Consider devolution of power at the state level—-that is power to the local governments—and tell me how this encourages the devolution of power to the states. How will state policing remove injustice and wickedness based on tribal and religious attitudes and bigotry?
Knowing that oil is the basis of the demand for resource control, I ask: How many states can get out and refine the oil in their states? If resource control will solve the problem of marginalisation of the states, how would it solve the problem of marginalisation of local governments and poor individuals?
WE DON’T HAVE GOOD GOVERNANCE BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT STRUCTURE OF FEEDING BOTTLE FEDERALISM WE ARE PRACTISING, GOVERNORS COMING TO ABUJA CAP IN HANDS TO COLLECT OIL REVENUE INSTEAD OF LOOKING INWARDS AND BRINGING TO THE CENTER.
WE MUST RESTRUCTURE TO ACHIEVE GOOD GOVERNANCE, DEVOLUTION OF POWERS TO THE FEDERATING UNITS IS THE KEY TO GOOD GOVERNANCE.
RESTRUCTURING WILL GIVE THE LOCAL COUNCILS THE NEEDED AUTONOMY TO OPERATE.
HOPE YOUR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED.
My friend, I want good governance in Nigeria. I want to be sure that we fully and rightly understand what good governance is and how it can be achieved and, hence, what we want and are demanding. In this regard, we have to make Atiku defend his generalised statements or promises satisfactorily and not be deceived by him.
For this reason, may I state humbly that your answers here do not answer my questions. As an example in defence of this, I asked: “What is good governance?”. You wrote: “WE DON’T HAVE GOOD GOVERNANCE BECAUSE ….”. You will agree with me that this answers the question “Why do we not have good governance?” and NOT the question “What is good governance?”, which is my question.
The other things that you wrote did not answer my questions. PLEASE read my questions again.
Regards.
Good governance is true democracy….Govt of the PEOPLE, by the PEOPLE and for the PEOPLE….That is good governance..
Good governance is LGA autonomy…
Good governance is State Policing…
Good governance is Resource control…
Good governance is dissolution of Federal character and State of Origin…
Thanks for your definition of good governance.
My experience is that we do not have the history or traditional practice of emphasis on the people as you did in the definition you provided——an abstract from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. This is why I have in conferences advocated the use of the expression “Leaders and participants” and NOT “leaders and followers”.
Historically, the people in government see us as tools for getting there and followers while they are there, and not as participants. This is why they do not oblige themselves to our needs, wants and interests.
How would Atiku make the people active participants in governance under his presidency? How will he provide the needs, wants and interests of the people?
I have reasoned aloud the problems connected with state policing and resource control. Please read my views about these and address them.
Thanks.
Then the ball is our court to make understand what democracy means…That truly the power belongs to the PEOPLE and not a few that are treating Nigerians worse than the slave masters did to out ancestors.
You have reasoned and spoken VERY wisely and rightly. What this means is that we must not be deceived by Atiku’s criticism of the present government because we do NOT have any CONVICTION that it is not intended for his interest and NOT the interests of THE PEOPLE.
I believe otherwise……He has the interest of the people at heart…..He is a northerner with a difference ..
His investments are there for all to see but such cannot be said of other rich northern politicians who will rather bury the funds instead of investing it and providing jobs for their people.
Has he really answered ALL my questions? Please give us (readers and contributors) his answers to ALL of them if you are honest.
WE MUST NOT HAVE 36 STATES AS A COUNTRY……ANY STATE THAT CANT SURVIVE ON ITS OWN SHOULD MERGE WITH OTHERS FOR SURVIVAL OR BETTER RETURN BACK TO STATUESQUE….
THE MILITARY CREATED STATES TO SATISFY FRIENDS AND CRONIES FOR SELFISH REASONS .
I do not support 36 states. Regionalism was better by hindsight. I do not support resource control. I was in Ogoni Land over their demand for resource control. I first met Ken Saro-Wiwa at his Lagos office on Tejuosho Street, Yaba, before I went to the state. The answer by Ken Saro-Wiwa and his youths about why they were demanding resource control and how they would use the oil in the geographic area made it clear to me that problems would be greater when resource control is practiced.
If a particular local government chairman decides that much more of the oil is got from its area of jurisdiction than others and decides to have control over the resource in that area, how would it work out? Will the governor allow it? Have we the tradition of equity in the distribution of wealth such that resource control by a state governor would translate to prosperity for the individuals that make up the state?
Fundamentally, we need things that unite us progressively and not things that divide us progressively and increase insecurity to the benefits or advantage of foreign governments, businessmen and organisations.
Take note that I am from Niger Delta being from Aniocha North of Delta State.
I am aware of all you have said but there must be a way we can strike a balance…..The Zik’s, Awo’s ETC did well with regionalism and going back to that will not be a bad idea in my honest opinion…
We just need to try something different because the current system is not working at all.
Has he really answered ALL my questions?
Please read my questions again—put into general form and particular forms—and if you are very sure that he has answered ALL of them, give us (readers and contributors) his answers to ALL of them or, at least, his characteristics of good governance and how he would achieve it, if you are honest
Hope you are following the political activities of the country very well.
I am convinced that I am following the political activities in the country. I am not a follower however; I am a participant. By the last statement, I mean that there are no leaders and followers in a true democracy. There are leaders and participants in a true democracy. Please change your view about the electorate known as followers as the electorate is actually participants and NOT followers. The actively political class of Nigerians has also to change its mindset or attitude to agree with this fact in order to make our democracy genuine or true, meaningful, free, fair, efficient and of true value.
Well said Atiku.
Good governance for Nigerians and youths development in my honest opinion is the key to restoring Nigeria lost glories.
A sincere, selfless, a bridge builder and a People oriented leader whose sole interest will be the development of the country’s resources both human resources and otherwise is all the country needs for growth and development.
Nigeria and Nigerians deserves POSITIVE Change now not tomorrow but NOW.
God bless Nigeria.
Well said Alh Atiku.
Restructuring Nigeria is a step in the right
direction and it’s time for Nigerians to come together and work towards the development of our country Nigeria
1). Show how the present structure is a/the cause of our problems.
2). Describe the structure of Nigeria that Atiku wants and which you you agree with him about intended for the replacement of the present structure.
3). Defend it as the panacea for our present problems.
If the youths are empowered the country will be safe from the problem of social vices and conflict. Well said Turakin Adamawa.
God save Nigeria.
Defend the empowerment of our youths as a solution to the materialism, individualism, deviance and recalcitrance.
Well said Turaki Adamawa.
God bless Nigeria.
We will review and take appropriate action.