Sunday, February 15, 2009              

Our Problem Is Failure Of Leadership - Atiku
From RoseAnn Chikereuba, Port Harcourt

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has attributed the problems and challenges in Nigeria to failure of leadership.

Atiku, who spoke at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State, on Friday told journalists that Nigerians have not had a leadership that had prepared itself to lead the country.

Citing the cases of Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Umaru Musa Yar'dua, Atiku said the duo did not plan to lead the country; hence the failures in policies and maladministration in the country.

According to him, "Nigeria has not had a leadership that has told itself, I want to lead and this is the reason why I want to lead Nigeria; this is my plan and programmes of what to do base on which he was elected".

"In the 2nd Republic, Shagari wanted to be a Senator, but he ended up becoming the President of the country. In Obasanjo's case, I was one of those, who led a delegation to him and it was clear that he had no intention of becoming a president because he asked me, how many presidents you want to make out of me".

Atiku regretted that these men were only fortunate to found themselves in the leadership position, but stressed that they were not prepared for the task that followed.

He emphasized that it was time for Nigerians to elect leaders who are credible and have prepared themselves to lead the country.

While lamenting on the bad image of the country, the former Vice President urged Nigerians to live an upright life, whenever they travel abroad as a way of building the image of the country.

The former Vice President, who lauded the Nigerian Judiciary for strengthening democracy in the country pointed out that it was the responsibility of the citizens to reform democracy. He added that the democratic and electoral processes in Nigeria require a fundamental reformation.