Nigeria’s current journey is to no destination -Ozekhome
By John Okezie
Human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, has said that Nigeria’s present journey is to no destination and recommended that the country should reverse and follow the proper route. He said the only future for Nigeria is for the people to come together to fashion a constitution and subject it to a referendum.
Ozekhome who spoke on Wednesday at the 2024 Midwest Herald “Midwest Achievers Awards” in Benin, the Edo State capital, advocated for institutionalisation of development-focused practices to foster change in Nigeria and the African continent.
The legal icon called for harmonized fight against corruption, which should make offenders accountable through democratic governance and the oversight of anti-corruption bodies by responsible civil society.
Chief Ozekhome who bagged an award of “Defender of Democracy” at the event, in his paper titled “Has Democracy led to Good Governance in Nigeria?, criticised what he described as political corruption, saying that it undermines democratic principles.
He stressed that political corruption should be aggressively addressed with the same seriousness and penalties as other forms of corruption such as financial crimes.
His words: “Too often, political corruption is overlooked largely because the political elite, who are often guilty of these practices hold significant power.
“For instance, Nigeria’s election history is rife with stories of electoral manipulation and voter exploitation by the political class.
“Post-election adjudication should not only focus on determining winners, but should also impose penalties, including imprisonment and fines on political elites or their agents who violate electoral rules.
“Free and fair elections are the foundation of legitimacy, transparency, and accountability, and should be consistently safeguarded to ensure leaders are held accountable to the people.”
Earlier, the Director of Organization, Midwest Achievers Awards, Dr. Owen Omo-Ojo, said the event is geared to recongnise archivers and spotlight super achievers who have dared to dream, navigate turbulent times, and upheld the highest ethical standards while inspiring hope in their communities and beyond.”
