WHY DO NIGERIAN POLITICIANS HANDLE STATE FINANCES?

In civilized countries, politicians approve expenditures and career civil servants handle money. In Nigeria, politicians approve expenditure and handle money and nobody is complaining. Why? Who wants to stop the gravy train? The citizens are praying and fasting to join the rogues. There is a reason why Nigerian Governors are addressed as “Executhief” Governors. They pilfer so much state revenues that salaries are unpaid, garbage is uncollected, hospitals are abandoned, water taps are dry, electricity supply is epileptic with overestimated bills, insecurity abounds, and roads neglected.

The new Nigerian Constitution must clearly specify the mechanisms for handling public money. Politicians must be prohibited from handling public money. Any infraction is an impeachable offense with payment of restitution to the state. A governor is a servant of the people and not their banker. Public money belongs in banks and not bedrooms. As Governor Barkin Zuwo, once remarked, “Government money in government house, no problem.” Look no further for a definition of political insanity.

There should be massive, indefinite sit-in strikes organized and orchestrated by AREWA, IPOB, CIVIL SOCIETY, and OODUA until the security votes given to politicians are abolished and prohibiting politicians from handling public money is enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.

This may be the first step towards restructuring. Any politician who thinks that Nigeria needs repackaging and not restructuring needs a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation by specialists at Aro Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Abeokuta, Nigeria. The same applies to businesspeople who lambast restructuring. Their finances must be probed. They all belong to the Leeching Mafia, sucking blood out of the nation and turning promises into perfidy.

The psychiatrists are waiting for you!