Former governor of Anambra, Mr Peter Obi, said that the cost of governance had become `ridiculous and unacceptable.’
He said this at the 18th annual convention of the Igbo Youth Movement (IYM), held on Friday in Enugu
Obi said that Nigerians must work for the common good of the country and needed to resolve to shape Nigeria the way it should be.
He said that corruption by those in authority had taken its toll on the economy, adding, “it is now an achievement for government to put street lights while the people do not have electricity in their homes.
“Just this past Christmas, some people did not have money to eat while some state governments spent millions to decorate the streets,” he said.
Obi alleged that the resources of state and local government areas were being mismanaged by those it were entrusted on, adding that things must change for good.
The guest lecturer at the convention, Prof. Banji Akintoye, said that it would be in the interest of the country to establish better administrative structures that would sustain the economy.
Akintoye said that the country would be more prosperous if administered along regional lines, adding that the time had come for Nigerians to take back their country.
“We must stop agonizing. Nigeria is a great country and we must not allow it to crumble through over-centralisation of governance,” Akintoye said.
The convener, Mr Elliot Uko, said that such discussions had become imperative as it would further strengthen the unity of the country and give the people a better bargain.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the convention was attended by many cultural organisations in the South East and beyond.
