THE Cross River State Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr. Mike Igini has said that the only way for Nigeria to attain greatness is to return to true federalism. Igini, who said this in Calabar when the Zonal Vice President South South of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Seyifa Uzaka paid him a courtesy visit, noted that “for Nigeria to move in the pace we desire in terms of development we have to go back to the template that was given to us by our forefathers. That was responsible for the kind of development that we witnessed in the first republic that today has been described as the golden era of development in our country”. Igini, who poured encomiums on the media for its role in safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy recalled that “when we were struggling for democracy, those who said that if the military is chased out the country is going to scatter, that Nigeria will no longer exist, regrettably these same set of people were the ones that took over the democratic process as at 1999. “So, those who fought for democracy were actually not the ones that took over the realm of democracy. And that is the challenge we are having today in the country. A return to true federalism; that is the only assured best way for Nigeria to attain the greatness.” Igini added: “When you look at what is happening in Nigeria you really think it is difficult to do something to rescue Nigeria. But what I have concluded in my findings is that, to actually rescue Nigeria, you will need a critical mass of certain people of robust values, people who will see public office as a place to serve. I eat maximum two times a day, I do not need to steal to eat two or three times a day. “People should know that no matter the wealth you acquire on this earth the day you die you will go with nothing. The root of the crises we have in our society today is that people acquire what they don’t need. So, many people come into the public office without differentiating the difference between what they want and what they need. And I have known that I do not need to steal to get my needs. So that is the root of most of the problems that we are having.” Igini continued: “Our tragedy today is that we are still grappling with the intricacies of nation-hood. The broad outline of the 21st century gives opportunity for people who can live together, and who can develop new ties that can bind them together so that they can move forward with the opportunity that abound in the 21st century”.
Posted on: Sat, 31 Aug 2013 07:20:23 +0000
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