Ezekwesili, Nweke, Sonaiya, others bemoan poor governance, seek reforms

…as armed thugs attack #ENDSARS protesters in Lagos

Eminent Nigerians including Oby Ezekwesili, Frank Nweke ( Jnr.), Remi Sonaiya, Aisha Yesufu among others yesterday warned that Nigeria must urgently restructure, institute electoral and constitutional reforms to save it from imminent collapse.

The leaders bemoaned failure of governance across Nigeria, saying only a holistic overhaul of the nation’s democracy could guarantee the needed change.

They stated this at a webinar organised to unveil the #Fixpolitics initiative to Nigeria media.

In her research presentation, a candidate in the 2019 presidential election, Ezekwesili, said the nation’s democracy was faulty and could not deliver on expectations of Nigerians, saying that the current electoral and political system was tailored to favour a few who are self-serving.

The former minister further said for democracy to work in Nigeria there must be good politics, strong institutions, and effective priority, adding that current leaders place individual gains more than the interest of the nation. According to her, “Nothing in Nigeria can change until the transformation of our politics.

The long suffering people that need good governance are the one to change this narrative to deliver good governance.

“Only the Nigerian citizens working together can compel the three arms of government, the executive, the legislator, judiciary to respond urgently and avert the imminent collapse of Nigeria into a failed state. Nigeria is currently the number 13 country on the global ranking of failed state countries,” she said.

Nweke, who is also the head of the Empowered Electorate Group said most Nigerians voters were ignorant of the hindrance to the nation’s democracy and how it impeded development of the country.

The former minister said the current protest in some states in Nigeria should be a warning to leaders that Nigerians could not be taken for granted forever.

Also speaking, Sonaiya, a member of the sub-theme of # Fixpolitics bemoaned the nation’s electoral process, saying that Nigeria must restructure and institute holistic electoral reforms, while encouraging diaspora voting to make meaningful progress.

Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, who is the head of the Transparency International ( TI) in Nigeria, welcomed the # Fixpolitics initiative, saying that Nigeria’s political process needs a surgical intervention to deliver good governance to Nigerians.

Meanwhile, suspected thugs armed with dangerous weapons, yesterday attacked # ENDSARS protesters in Lagos.

Thugs were seen chasing after the ENDSARS protesters, breaking side mirrors and windscreens of vehicles belonging to the protesters, leading to several persons sustaining varying degrees of injuries and machete cuts.

It was gathered that the thugs who brandished cutlasses, invaded the protest venue at Berger junction about an hour after the # ENDSARS protesters had convened. The thugs destroyed cars numbering up to 7 and attacked several people who were on ground.

The armed thugs also harassed protesters, including passers- by, destroying vehicles parked in the area.

The protesters, however, regrouped and chased the thugs away; one of them was caught, and beaten to stupor, with his head gushing out blood.

One of the protesters who spoke on the condition of anonymity alleged that the thugs were paid to disrupt the protest.