Insecurity: El-Rufai Not Sincere – Balarabe Musa

BY AMOS TAUNA, KADUNA – An elder statesman and former governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, on Monday declared that the state government, led by Malam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai, is insincere in resolving the security challenge plaguing the state, especially Southern Kaduna.

Speaking to our correspondent in Kaduna, the former governor said that its main cause was as a result of the level of insincerity and the refusal by the government to involve critical stakeholders in talking the problems of insecurity.

In his words, “Failure to carry every stakeholder along in arriving at critical decisions meant to ensure better understanding will continue to be a wasteful effort by the state government in its attempts to bring an end to the incessant crisis in the southern part of the state.

“There is poverty in the state, and unless this issue is urgently addressed, it may be a mirage to think of tackling insecurity in a situation where majority are roaming the streets aimlessly without any hope of tomorrow.

“The fundamental issues that have become main source of concern in the state have to be addressed by the government of the day if it is thinking of making remarkable impact. True reconciliation must be seen to be made among the various ethnic groups if not any coercive decision will not be in the interest of the majority.”

He called on the government in the state to ensure people oriented programmes that are meant to change the living standards of the ordinary man in the street.

The former governor also lamented that Nigerians have not witnessed true democracy but transition from military dictators to cronies, adding, “All that Nigerians have experienced from 1999 to date is a military dictatorship transferring power to a civilian dictatorship.

“Where is the democracy you are talking about? Who is practicing democracy in Nigeria? Who is benefiting from democracy in Nigeria?

“When the military hand over power to a military dictatorship and later hand over power to his chosen civilian dictatorship, is the democracy? And again the same military dictatorship is in power dictating to Nigerians what is to be done, you called that democracy?”

In this political dispensation, he explained, Nigerians are yet to taste what democracy is all about, adding, “Democracy in its true word has lost its value in the present political dispensation because we are being let by selfish and greedy people that called themselves politicians.”

He noted that what Nigerians needed to do to free themselves from slavery was to embark on peaceful revolution in all spheres of life in the country, with a view to ensuring that only people with patriotic and nationalistic belief are elected into elective positions to continue from the foundation laid by the founding fathers of the country.

“What we consider as political leaders since 1999 to date are only but a bunch of corrupt, selfish and irresponsible people that do not have the interest of the country at heart, but only to enrich themselves to the detriment of all Nigerians,” he observed.