Tanko Yakassai, Chairman of Northern Elders Council, NEC, in an interview with Saturday Vanguard, expressed optimism saying, in not too distant future, Nigeria will have a committed leadership that would not be bias, no nepotism, but think of the totality of Nigeria.
He said that "the problem with the military is that when they are in power they appoint friends and relatives." Citing an example with president Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Excerpt:
Don’t you think that bitter political rivalry among the elites across the country was equally responsible for our stunted growth?
No, no. The struggle for power was on a personal basis or how do you explain IBB coup against Buhari, how do you explain Vatsa abortive coup against IBB, it was purely a military thing, not North and south thing.
Can we continue to live like this?
No, we can not continue to live like this because it is wrong, and I am praying that we will in not too distant future have a leadership that will be committed to the Nigerian project, that would not think of where he hails from, that would not be bias, no nepotism, but think of the totality of Nigeria, while appointment would be guided by competence and not because of friendship.
But the problem with the military is that when they are in power they appoint friends and relatives. And you can see what is happening now under Buhari, the military mentality of appointing people close to you. We can only get out of it when we insist on having a pure democracy. You cannot have it when the man at the helm of affairs is half military and half civilian.
Culled from Vanguard
