By Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
The Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, has said that Nigeria’s political journey as a nation since its independence in 1960 has not signalled the true post independence democracy that it deserves.
Addressing a press conference in Ilorin, Kwara State, the National Legal Adviser of the party, Professor Mahmoud Aliyu, bemoaned what he described as Nigeria’s consistent failed republics, due to bad leaderships it produces each time.
Professor Aliyu, who disclosed that even in his party; the PRP, a party that is an offshoot of the Northern Elements Progressives Union, NEPU, which was a socialist-oriented party, professing the principles of advancing the cause of the masses, lust for power and materialism is still the order of the day, eroding the ideals of its founding fathers.
Reviewing the current situation in the country, Professor Aliyu said that not until the the joint decision of the labour front made up of doctors, teachers and the masses took a decision to stop the trend of leaders that often have unfettered access to the nation’s kitty, there would not be any positive change.
His words, “The challenges before all true Nigerian patriots therefore are to rededicate ourselves to the goal of promoting the indivisible unity, the unfettered progress and democratic rebirth of the Nigerian federation.
“This requires personal and collective sacrifices, as well as the development of organisational structures that are essential for the delivery of these ideals.
He added, “The masses of this country should rise up to the contentious attitudes of our present crop of leaders, remove and substitute them with new ones.”
Meanwhile, the PRP chieftain is opposed to Nigeria’s involvement in the planned military intervention in the political impasse in Niger Republic which the Federal Government appears to be hell bent on doing.
Fielding questions from newsmen after reading his prepared speech, the former university don said that though he welcomed the involvement of ECOWAS in the troubles at present in the West African country, the development should not in any way be a priority of Nigeria as a nation.
He averred that Nigeria is face with a myriad of challenges bedeviling her already, and which needed urgent attention, rather than wasting its resources on foreign missions.
He said, “We’ve not been able to take care of our own security issues adequately. What wisdom do we have to wage war against our neighbour? Honestly from my mind, I’m completely against it. It’s morally, economically, and spiritually wrong.
“If this question was asked on the first day, what I would say is that that is not supposed to be our priority as a country. But if it’s ECOWAS, it’s ok. The matter has even taken political and ethnic dimensions.
“Last week, bandits raided one village in Niger State and kidnapped some of the villagers. Four of my kinsmen were among the victims. And that threat is all over that place every now and then. Villages have been sacked.
“The villagers are sent away in some villages, the villagers are asked to pay money to the bandits before bandits could allow them to work on their farms. This is sad.”
He also disagreed with palliatives been given by government to citizens as a result of the pains occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal, pointing out that successive governments in the past had done so only to tell the masses to fasten their seat belts without the accruing benefits to them.
He said, “Palliative is not the answer to Nigerians’ problem. Nigerians are being insulted by palliative measures. I don’t cherish palliative.
“Just let the masses have access to good life. Government at all levels should create enabling environment for job creation to make citizens self reliant. Having job to do is the best form of palliative that government can give to the masses.”
