Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), has said that the continued existence of Nigeria as a united and indivisible nation would be determined largely by the 2015 general elections.
This is coming as Rivers state Governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, again knocked President Goodluck Jonathan, accusing him of institutionalising corruption in the country and also describing him as a civilian dictator.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, also said that politicians abandon their political parties because party officials have proven themselves incapable of running a fair contest.
They all spoke at the 2nd Peoples Media Limited Conference held in Abuja yesterday with the theme, “Nigeria: The 2015 Question.”
Abdulsalami said: “As political animals that we are, nothing seems to have gripped the imagination of Nigerians as the issue of the coming 2015 general elections which, in my view, is a watershed moment in the history of our dear country.
“The way we are able to handle this very important event will largely determine how successful we will be in our efforts at remaining a united, indivisible and stable country.”
He said that the unfolding scenario may portend danger to the nation if Nigerians from all parts of the country do not close ranks and put the interest of the nation first.
“The sad and tragic experience of the 2011 post-election violence is a reminder that election matters have become serious business that must be handled with the utmost seriousness and patriotism in order to avoid a repeat.”
Amaechi, who was represented by his Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said that corruption is not a repository of the military alone.
“The politicians were also experts at it,” he said.
“The progress made in fighting corruption began to erode under President Yar’Adua. His short-lived reign cannot be assessed in this wise.
“Currently in the present regime of President Goodluck Jonathan, corruption appears to have been institutionalised.
“A whopping sum of twenty billion dollars is alleged to have been missing. The stories of both fuel and kerosene subsidy are not anything to behold. It smacks of corruption and rottenness.
“The aviation bulletproof saga remains unresolved. The Shell/Malabu story is a macabre dance. The response of the regime to corruption is to imprison those exposing corruption.
“The impunity in corruption is extended to the punishment of those who fight corruption. The removal of the Governor of Central Bank is unconstitutional.
“Constitution means nothing to the current government. What we see is the re-emergence of civilian dictatorship. But enough about corruption.”
He, however, noted that unemployment has risen during Jonathan’s government to 23 percent as against 14.6 percent before his administration.
Tambuwal, on his part, said the problem of tribalism and nepotism have become such a critical part of our policy and politics that “people often feel that they will not be reckoned with unless their candidate, their tribesman or woman, or their party wins.”
He noted that more often than not, “people are forced to abandon the political parties they have laboured for, not because they want to but because party officials have proven themselves incapable of running a fair contest.
The speaker argued: “Yes, 2015 is indeed pregnant. But it is in our hands if we want it to deliver a bright future or a foetus of aborted hopes and dreams.
“If they decide to conduct fair and free elections, if the scales are not rigged, then the hope that 2015 will usher in a more peaceful and more progressive year is not in doubt.”
