Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticized the integrity of Nigeria’s leadership, asserting that many public office holders deserve to be behind bars.
Obasanjo made this statement on Friday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while hosting six members of the House of Representatives, who are co-sponsors of a bill proposing a single six-year term and rotation between the North and South.
The delegation was led by Ugo Chinyere, a former chairman of the House Committee on Downstream Petroleum, during their visit to the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library.
Obasanjo emphasized the need for a change in the character of those in government, saying, “Yes, we need to rethink our democracy, but the character of people in government must change.
With all due respect, most of those in government should right now be behind bars or in gallows.”
The former President also expressed disappointment that subsequent administrations had failed to build on the foundation he laid during his tenure.
“The issue for me, whether we have a single term of six years or two terms of four years, is that we must decarbonize our brains and mentality,” Obasanjo remarked.
“If someone is given a single term of six years, they can still commit the same wrongs they would have in two terms of four years.
The only difference is that they would do so within six years instead of eight.”
Obasanjo concluded by stating that the root problem lies within the people themselves.
“Our main problem is ourselves, and until we address that, it doesn’t matter whether we adopt a single term of six years or any other format.
With the same mentality and way of doing things, nothing will change,” he said.
