Renowned Political Economist, Prof. Pat Utomi on Friday labelled the Nigerian legislators as rubber stamp watching the country drifting aimlessly.
Utomi stated this while speaking with newsmen shortly after paying a condolence visit to the family of the late former Speaker, House of Representatives, Ghali Na’abba in Kano.
He said the late Ghali Na’abba represented a season in which it had an independent legislature when compared to the present crop of legislators.
According to him, “I have come to Kano to bring to the people of Kano, family of late Ghali Na’abba, the feeling that people of Nigeria have about the service that he gave our country. And to share with the family the sense of loss, to commiserate with them and tell them that Nigeria has lost a lot but the legacy he left behind can be lifted and used to mould a New Nigeria.
“Late Na’abba represents for us a season in which we had an independent legislature that ensured that government policy could be aligned to service to the people.
“Today we don’t have a legislature. I can say that without even batting an eyelid. We have rubber-stamp legislators who are watching the country drifting aimlessly and are not offering options. Honourable Ghali Na’Abba did offer that when he was the Speaker of the National Assembly.
“We collaborated with him back in those days from civil society, from direct action, we stood by him to ensure that we have a working system. Many years afterwards as we saw the drift got worse, we thought that we needed to treat it the third way, a different way, right now it is going to be the second way because nothing else is left in the country. A country that is not working, run by politicians who just think about themselves and self-love. So what we have in our country today, can be called government of the worst by people who are consumed by self-love.
“We desire to lift the spirit of RT. Hon. Ghali Na’abba and make it part of the rallying point for rebuilding Nigeria for the good of all Nigerians because our country deserves a running government that works.
“This is why we have come to Kano to express our solidarity, commiserate and say Nigeria is here to be rebuilt. We can with the spirit of Ghali Na’abba,” Prof. Utomi however stated.
By Bashir Bello: Vanguard
