Former Senate President and Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Adolphus Wabara, has identified inefficient leadership as the bane of Nigeria’s development.
This is as he called on the people to rise against partisan, ethnic and religious divisions to make choices in the 2027 general elections that would rescue the country from the throes of hunger, poverty, unemployment and worsening insecurity.
The PDP Chieftain urged opposition political parties to set aside their differences and forge a common front to rescue Nigeria from what he termed “economic mismanagement, democratic decline and worsening insecurity.”
Wabara lamented, in his 78th birthday message, that in spite of the enormous human, mineral and material endowments Nigeria was still groping for a clear path to enduring progress. He posited that the country’s resources have been squandered by successive administrations, particularly under the ruling APC.
According to him, the nation’s fortunes have steadily deteriorated since the APC assumed power in 2015.
“Nigeria’s greatest problem is not a lack of resources or talented citizens. Our greatest problem is bad leadership. A nation blessed with abundant wealth and extraordinary human capital should not be battling the level of poverty, hunger, unemployment and insecurity we see today.
“Millions of Nigerians can no longer afford the basic necessities of life. Businesses are shutting down, investors are losing confidence, families are struggling to survive, and insecurity continues to spread across various parts of the country. This is not the Nigeria our founding fathers envisioned.”
The elder statesman accused the ruling APC of failing to fulfil its promises to Nigerians and warned that allowing the party to continue in power beyond 2027 could further endanger the nation’s future.
“The APC promised change, but what Nigerians have witnessed over the years is a painful decline in living standards, deepening divisions, mounting debt burdens and worsening insecurity.
“The evidence is visible across the country. Nigerians must honestly assess the state of the nation and decide whether this is the direction they want to continue.”
He also picked at alleged attempts to weaken opposition voices and shrink the democratic space, arguing that, “No democracy can thrive without a vibrant opposition.
“Efforts to intimidate, weaken or silence opposing voices are dangerous to democratic development. Democracy flourishes through healthy competition of ideas, accountability and respect for dissenting opinions.”
“This is not the time for political ego, unnecessary rivalries or personal ambitions. The opposition must unite in the national interest.
“We must build a broad coalition of patriotic Nigerians committed to rescuing our country from those who see power as an end in itself rather than a service vehicle.”
“My greatest birthday gift would be to see millions of Nigerians register, collect their voter cards and prepare to participate in shaping the future of their country.
“Democracy belongs to the people, and the ballot remains the most powerful instrument for peaceful change,” he said and called on INEC the judiciary, security agencies and other democratic institutions to discharge their responsibilities with patriotism and integrity.
