Babangida Aliyu: why President failed

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State yesterday reviewed the recent elections in the country and concluded that President Goodluck Jonathan’s failure at the polls was the price he had to pay for reneging on his alleged agreement with the North to serve for only one term.

Aliyu, Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, said the President and Peoples Democratic Party’s defeat was therefore not unexpected.

Aliyu, who spoke as special guest of honour at the 24th Convocation lecture of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, said the PDP as a party was rejected for failing to meet the expectations of the people.

He said: “Many of us saw it coming. When I reminded us that we had an agreement for one term, they nearly crucified me. And when I led the G7 governors, they did not do what we wanted them to do until five members left, and they later did what we asked them to do.”

“I recalled also that when APC came on board, I was the first person to say I was very happy that now we have a strong party to put PDP on its toes and many people were asking me if I am really a member of PDP.

“Up to the last election, the accusation against me has always been that I was a supporter of APC and now you have seen the result.”

Nigerians, he added, “wanted a change and Nigerians got the change.

“PDP has been around for 16 years and there is no way you will be around for 16 years and you will not make mistakes. So, there are many reasons that will be put together and we will be able to understand and guide people as to next time, these are some of the things you need to do”

Aliyu who spoke on “The role of Law in the Enhancement of Socio-Economic Growth of the Nation,” Aliyu said corruption is not limited to government officials as believed in many quarters.

He wondered how a junior civil servant, for instance, could maintain a family of two wives and over 20 children.

“There is no way his salary can take care of those children,” he said.

Also speaking, the chairman of the institution’s Governing Council, Prof. Ahmed Alkali, described Nigeria as a country at the crossroads in the fight against corruption because every Nigerian is corrupt in one way or the other.

He said:”If Nigeria must fight corruption, we must all check ourselves to ensure that at all levels, we kill corruption. Anything we do in excess is corruption.”

Former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Legbo Kutigi, also at the lecture expressed regret that despite the fact that there are criminal code provisions, statutory enactment and administrative institutions for combating corruption, the vice has continued to thrive in the country.

He blamed the development on weak legal institutions and culture for dealing with corruption.

He said Nigeria and other developing countries should create institutional structures and procedures designed to reduce the opportunities for corrupt practices and behaviour.