Governor Rochas Okorocha

By Tobi Soniyi

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State Thursday blamed the worrisome state of insecurity in the country on visionless leadership which he said had in turn resulted in Boko Haram, kidnapping and different forms of human rights abuses.

Okorocha, who stated this in Abuja while delivering a lecture at a National Dialogue on ‘Effective Leadership and Good Governance’, regretted that corruption in high places was “absolutely horrible” and that the same had taken the place of effective leadership in the nation.

The governor said democracy had not fared well in Nigeria because none of the over 50 political parties in the country has identifiable mission and vision statement.

He noted that what political parties paraded as manifestoes were “mere cut and paste manifestoes of defunct political parties that existed in the past.” 

He said such manifestoes could at best be described as copycat of one another.

In view of this, he stated that if democracy was really on course in Nigeria, “most of us will have no business in leading the people.”

He added, “For instance, the vision of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is how to remain in power for 60 years while Congress for Progressive Change will want to control the North so that nobody can penetrate and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)is how to keep the South-west in captivity while that of All Progressives Grand Alliance  (APGA) is to control the South-east. Is that what you call manifestoes?

“Is this not a recipe for manipulation of election? I wish there is a party in Nigeria with vision and programme for agricultural development.

“Because if there is food, there will be no Boko Haram.”