The governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, the governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, the former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, and the Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, among others, made the argument for the need for a new constitution on Tuesday in Lagos, saying that the people of Nigeria wanted good governance.
They shared this opinion at a public lecture put on by the Freedomonline newspaper with the title “2023–2027: Nigerians Elected Leaders and Expectations,” highlighting the fact that continuing to rely on the 1999 Constitution as a fix for Nigeria’s issues was a waste of time and would bring about the nation’s death.
This came at the same time that they sought the creation of the State Police, claiming that doing so was essential and necessary if Nigeria was serious about resolving its current insecurity issue.
The guest speaker, Imo State Governor Uzodima, who was represented by Decklam Emelumba, his Commissioner for Information, stated that every Nigerian should expect good administration and that this is something they are increasingly expecting.
However, the governor claimed that flaws in the 1999 Constitution prevented state governments from meeting expectations. He also noted that the country’s size made governance challenging because the centre had been making decisions regarding policing and other matters that should only be handled by the states.
Uzodimma claimed that good administration was the one thing all Nigerians could agree on, regardless of their ethnicity, language, or religion, and that when it is born “in town, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity will take flight.”
He wrote on Facebook that with good governance, there would be an economic boom, plenty of opportunities for women’s empowerment, good healthcare delivery, high-quality education that is also affordable, plenty of infrastructure provisions, and security of lives and property. He added that with all of these things in place, Nigerians would be able to brag about an improved standard of living and a longer average life expectancy.
“This is a common language that can be heard clearly without having to be spoken. Once Nigerians witness these, they would understand that the nation is progressing and that their needs are being satisfied.
Therefore, Nigerians anticipate that their nation will function. The governor remarked, “That is what they want and what they need.
This greatly simplifies our task. The expectations of Nigerians from elected leaders during the years 2023 to 2027 can be summarised by making a list of the factors that contribute to good administration and the functioning of the nation.
As I have stated, these expectations are reasonable. They are the same demands that Nigerians have had since their independence 63 years ago, he continued.
While citing participation, rule of law, consensus-driven governance, equity and inclusiveness, effectiveness and efficiency, transparency and accountability, among other factors, Governor Uzodimma expressed the hope that the recently seated National Assembly would contribute to the creation of bills and motions that would support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bravery and vision.
“So, sure, I’m willing to wager that between 2023 and 2027, the standards of good governance will be at least somewhat reached. In the upcoming four years, I anticipate that unemployment, insecurity, and poverty would be less of a problem for Nigerians.
The keynote speaker, Diri, the governor of Bayelsa State, claimed that the inability of state governments to manage their resources had caused a setback for many states. He emphasised that if states had been given the same authority as regions to manage their resources during the First Republic, significant progress would have been made in the states.
For Nigeria to reach the lofty heights envisioned by her founding fathers, according to Diri, who was represented by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Daniel Alabrah, a constitution that would provide the state the authority to regulate its resources was required.
In his speech, Chief George, a former deputy national chairman of the PDP, bemoaned the nation’s poor leadership and demanded that the current dishonesty and corruption in the country’s financial management end. He continued, “Let us put an end to the economic inequalities, injustice, and unfairness in the distribution of our God-given resources and our financial wealth.”
