Ethnic Politics Destroying Nigeria – Nnamani, Jega

Divisive political culture anchored on ethnicity has been identified as one of the major reasons for the current level of lack of integration, peace and retarded development in the country.

Former Senate president Ken Nnamani and immediate past chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega shared this view yesterday during the 13th Convocation Lecture of the Nnamdi University ( UNIZIK), Awka.

Speaking on the Convocation lecture: National Integration, Peace and Development, former Senator Nnamani who was the guest lecturer bemoaned that the country’s founding fathers sacked the colonial administration but did not dismantle the divide and rule of the colonial system of the administration.

“We are living today with the legacies of this initial error of perception by our leaders who reinforced the politics of ethnic dominance rather than the politics of national unity and development”, Senator Nnamani stated, as he asked “Can we ever completely estimate how much we have lost as a nation and as continent as a result of wrong post-colonial politics?”

In addition to calling for proper restructuring of the country in such a manner that would engender equity, justice and competitive spirit among the components units as it was during the regional arrangement, the former senate president further make case for an electoral process that would provide the country with good leadership.

He stated, “The blame for Nigerian’s poor record on national unity and integration lies mainly at the door of poor leadership.

“We need a charismatic and effective leadership to steer the country away from politics of fear and mutual distrust to politics of hope and inclusiveness ; we need transformative leaders like .general park who will engineer structural transformation of the country’s economic and social institutions”, he stated fipurther.

In his own contributions, Professor Jega commended Senator Nnamani for his views and decried that ethnic politics and corruption of the electoral process by those seeking to win election were part of the bane of of our democracy, national integration and development.

Besides he challenged the academia to also show interest in the governance institution of the country and stop resigning to the fate that the political corrupt system could not be remedied.

“Nigerian academics should stop agonizing over the governance problem; we should take up the challenge of bringing about the structures that will give this country credible leadership that will engender good governance”, Prof. Jega charged.

Earlier in his welcome address the Vice-chancellor of the university, Professor Joseph Ahanekwu praised the former senate ?President Nnamani for the courage he exhibited as senate president in defending the country’s democracy, and, also showere praises on Professor Jega for giving the country credible electoral process while he was chairman of INEC.