Former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Prof Ibrahim Gambari has urged Nigerians to demand for change where there is the need and eschew apathy to governance which makes for filth in the governance, environment and economy.
Gambari a political scientist stated that people who are in power do not give it up voluntarily, saying that where there is politics of exclusion, there would be conflicts and wars.
Quoting two United Nation’s Secretaries General, Butrus Butrus Ghali and Kofi Annan, he said without peace there can be no development and without sustainable development there can be no durable peace.
He further quoted the duo as saying that without democracy and elections that truly reflect the wishes of the people there can be neither peace nor development.
Prof Gambari who was speaking at the ongoing conference described poverty eradication, youth unemployment and poor governance as a time bomb which must be urgently addressed.
According to Gambari, investment in education is a necessary tool in the development of human capital while without science and technology, the country cannot be competitive in a world that is fast becoming globalised.
He enjoined Nigerians to imbibe attitudinal change so that the ruling class would not continue to provide poor governance and lack of accountability, impunity, corruption, lack of transparency and indulge the people in politics of division and exclusion.
He acknowledged the president’s speech was well crafted and the debates of the conference articulated but however noted that the actions of the president and that of the delegates at the conference would be more historical than speeches.
