Vote out corruption, Imo AG tells Nigerians

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Imo State , Mr. Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume has expressed his worry over the increasing level of infrastructural decay in Nigeria, a situation he blamed on corruption.The Attorney General who spoke at a symposium that was organised to commemorate the 2015 Philosophy week of National Association of Philosophy Students held at the Seat of Wisdom Seminary, Ariam Ikwuano, Umuahia Abia state, urged Nigerians to see the forthcoming general election as an opportunity to vote out corrupt and inept political office holders.He said: “In the West African sub-region as well as globally, Nigeria has one of the lowest level of infrastructural provisions. South Africa with a population of 52.98milion people has 44,000 Megawatts of electricity while Nigeria with a population of 160million people is still battling with the generation of 4000 Megawatts.“Singapore is not endowed with any oil mineral resources, yet it had over forty refineries, but the 6th largest producer of crude oil, gleefully has no functional refinery, but rather imports fuel from such non-oil producing countries as Singapore.“The UAE countries formally called Trucial States as at date have $817b as their Sovereign Wealth Fund but the 6th largest producer of crude oil has non in its balance.“Nigeria is almost on its way to the present day Greek economy not because we do not have the capable hands to manage the economy, not because the resources are not there enough for the populace, but because of self-serving belief that a particular party is destined to rule this country for the next 60 years engenders corruption and ineptitude.’’“There is also this same belief that electoral process will be manipulated since there was no healthy opposition. At a time, it was the order of the day that banks advance huge sums of money to candidate holding PDP nomination ticket, as that means automatic election. Certainly, this is a negation of functional party democracy”, Ume added.Besides, he warned that any attempt to stifle opposition parties in the country would endanger and compromise good governance, prosperity and future of Nigeria, stressing that “no democratic government can deliver its mandat e without a formidable opposition”.Ume maximised the occasion and advocated for the re-election of his principal, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state who he said has performed creditably well.He argued that Governor Okorocha has brought dividends of democracy to the door steps and hearts of the generality of Imo state people, particularly the down trodden, youths and market women.“I owe it as a duty to say this, I have remained committed to Imo state government for somehow what I call selfish reason. Selfish because on the day of my judgment, the Almighty God may ask me: hoe many hours did you spare in order to bring meaning to the lives of those that are not as opportuned as you were?According to him,”Leaders must have pedigree. What did we do yesterday? As the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the House Committee on Constitutional amendment, how did you solve the painful problem of the South East zone to enable it have the same number of state as other geographical zones have in Nigeria”.