Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has stated that most public officeholders in Nigeria lack the character to lead the country and that many of them should be in jail.
Obasanjo made this statement while receiving six members of the House of Representatives, led by Imo lawmaker Ugochinuyere Ikenga. The lawmakers are co-sponsoring bills on single term, rotational presidency, and rotation of governorship slots.
Daily Trust reported that the former president emphasized that character matters when electing leaders, a quality he believes most public office occupants lack.
Obasanjo stressed that until leaders change their mentality, the country cannot see the desired change, regardless of the system or form of government.
He criticized the character of government officials, saying that many should be behind bars or even on the gallows.
Obasanjo called for a rethink on selecting leaders, emphasizing the need for role models with good track records and attributes.
The lawmakers who visited Obasanjo are advocating for a single six-year term for the presidency and rotation between the North and South.
They also called for a rejig of the nation’s laws to accommodate these changes and ensure that state governments rotate governance among the three senatorial districts.
Obasanjo’s statement reads in part:
“Yes, the system; yes, democracy. We have to rethink democracy. We have to rethink the form of government. But what about the character of the people in government? With all due respect, most of them should be behind bars; some should even be on the gallows, and that is the truth.”
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