A member of the House of Representatives, human rights lawyer and one time front-liner of the Campaign for Democracy during the struggle for the de-annulment of June 12, 1993 Presidential election, Hon Kayode Oladele has said that the real problem with Nigeria is lack of accountability and failure of leadership.
In a statement commemorating the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election, Oladele stated that years after the annulment of what was then described by the international community as the most transparent election in \Nigeria, the country is still grappling with corruption and lack of accountability, a situation which according to him, has led to the arrest of democratic development instead of deepening it. He stated further that the insensitivity of those who hold public offices, their arbitrariness that often manifests in laissez-faire disposition towards the people is core to the crisis of leadership and development as well as patriotism in Nigeria. “It is impossible to say that those who loot public treasury are patriots. The psychic impact and ripple effects of such values are quite devastating and destructive of the political system and social fabrics”, he said.
The law maker, who represents Yewa North and Imeko-Afon Federal Constituency of Ogun State in the House of Representatives and currently serves as the Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Crimes said that one of the most notable causes of crisis of leadership in Nigeria is lack of merit. ‘Although I believe that the coalitional principle of federal character allows for an inclusive and harmonious political mode, however, there is need for merit to be applied even in reflecting the federal character principle. The bane of Nigerian politics is that many of those who govern have no business with governance and majority of those who lead have no business with leadership”, he lamented.
On the need for reform, Oladele said that “Nigeria needs reform, but it is not a reform that says “mirror others only and leave me out”. It is not a reform that says a few privileged people can steal the wealth and resources of the country and people should turn the other way, while those who commit minor crimes get severe punishment. It is not a system that has abused democracy and rule of law in a situation where entire states and communities have been denied basic utilities and services because of the misdeeds of a few public officers. Accountability in governance is important, but that accountability must start with how we consider public office, the premium we place on the political mandate and our collective will to bring about change in society”.
Finally, speaking on the way forward, Oladele calls on the youth and elitist middle class to actively participate in politics. “We must all be interested in politics, we cannot abandon politics to others and say government business is nobody’s business, or that politics is a dirty game. Such claim is convenient to neo-colonialists or the right wing political elite who continue to use that slogan to scare people away from active political participation while they have a field day. We must not allow ourselves to be deluded or deceived. As citizens and responsible ones at that and people who believe in transparency, we have a right to ask for accountability in all public institutions. To have the moral basis to do this, we too must discharge our civic responsibilities and participate in government”, he concluded.
