By; Al Humphrey Onyanabo
The Nigerian political landscape is one that is marred with corruption, greed, and selfishness. It is no secret that most of our state governors are only interested in lining their pockets and those of their cronies, rather than working towards the betterment of their respective states. These governors have shown time and time again that they lack empathy and are heartless in their actions and decisions.
One of the major ways these governors show their heartlessness is by plunging their states into debts from both the World Bank and commercial banks. They take out loans upon loans without any solid plans on how to repay them. They do not care about the burden these debts place on their states and the citizens who will have to pay for it for generations to come. It is a sad reality that most states in Nigeria are indebted to the tune of billions of naira, and the governors responsible for this remain unapologetic.
To make matters worse, these governors collect billions of naira in security votes, which they account for to nobody. They use these funds to finance their extravagant lifestyles and those of their families, while the citizens they are meant to protect are left at the mercy of criminals and terrorists. It is appalling that these governors have no regard for the lives and safety of the people they were elected to serve.
Furthermore, these governors control the internally generated revenue and federal allocations of their states without allowing external auditors to look into their books. This lack of transparency ensures that they can siphon funds at will without any checks or balances. When they leave office, they leave their states in huge debts and with no plans on how to repay the loans. The citizens are left to bear the brunt of their actions, and the cycle continues with the next governor who comes into office.
It is time for Nigerians to demand accountability from their state governors. They must be held responsible for their actions and decisions while in office. They must be made to account for the loans they take out and how they are being used. They must also be made to explain how they spend their security votes and why they should continue to receive such funds.
It is not shameful that with all the trillions of naira going to the states monthly, roads are still filled with potpoles, hospitals are not fully functional, salaries are owed, children still sit on the floor in public schools, ( computers are only seen in the dreams of pupils) public transportation is in a mess, we still pay life service to Agriculture and feeding ourselves? Year in year out, Governor after Governor, they make promises with fanfare, vote funds for projects but things remain the same for the masses while the fortunes of the governors transform?
It is a well-known fact that most Nigerian state governors also live lives of stupendous affluence, while the citizens they were elected to serve wallow in poverty. These governors have no regard for the suffering and plight of the people they were elected to serve. Instead, they use their positions of power to enrich themselves and their families, leaving the masses to suffer.
One of the ways these governors show their heartless affluence is through the stupendous pensions they collect after leaving office. These pensions are often in the tens of millions of naira, and they are paid for life. It is a sad reality that these governors who have only served for a few years can earn more than retired civil servants who have dedicated their lives to serving the country. These pensions are paid from the taxes of the citizens, who are struggling to make ends meet.
Furthermore, these governors live lives of unimaginable luxury while the citizens they are meant to serve live in abject poverty. They have fleets of cars, private jets, and mansions in different parts of the world. They travel first class and stay in the most expensive hotels while the citizens cannot even afford basic amenities like food, water, and shelter. It is a sad reality that most Nigerians live in poverty, with no access to basic healthcare, education, and infrastructure, while their leaders live in opulence.
It is time for Nigerians to demand better from their leaders. We must hold these governors accountable for their actions and decisions while in office. We must demand that they work towards the betterment of their states and not just their personal gain. We must also demand a fair and just pension system that is not skewed in favor of politicians.
We must work towards a Nigeria where our leaders are selfless and genuinely interested in the progress of their states and the citizens they serve. The citizens of Nigeria deserve better.
Most annoyingly, after plundering their states for four or eight years, without giving account of their stewardship, they install a stooge who will cover their evil acts and they move over to Abuja as Senators to start another round of living on Government money, enjoying freebies and making laws that never effect them. This is heart breaking. What kind of country is this?
In Nigeria, most Politicians, stroll in poor, wait in line to plunder and retire in affluence and become Lords over the rest of us.
By; Al Humphrey Onyanabo ( The StoryTeller)
Tel; +2347054674906
Email; Nigeria360online@gmail.com