From CHARLES ONYEKWERE
Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Hyacinth Ngwu, has urged Nigerians to demand accountability from governors and local government chairmen.
Ngwu, who is the former South East Publicity Secretary of the APC, disclosed this to newsmen yesterday in Enugu, while reacting to the 26 years of uninterrupted democracy and how Nigerians have fared so far.
According to him, Nigerians should be bold and demand accountability from their state and local government leadership, as there have been huge monthly allocations received under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“To whom much is given, much is expected. Some of them leave their direct primary responsibilities and give priority to federal projects in their states and then ask for a refund later.
“Unfortunately, Nigerians are not asking their local and state governments the relevant questions about their actions and inactions in the areas of governance, infrastructure and democratic dividends.
“Every government has a responsibility to its people. Today, when a feeder road in a village is unmotorable, the villagers will be asking the president to come and rebuild it,” he said.
On security, Ngwu noted that Tinubu’s administration must be commended for tackling insecurity headlong. “Security is for everyone and each Nigerian has a role to play in observing and reporting criminals, suspicious objects and developments.
“We need the locals, vigilantes, town union leaders and civil society to also live up to their responsibilities.
“We should see security as our responsibility. That is one of the strategies that will help curb or minimise insecurity in our localities,” he said.
On the massive defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ngwu noted that it epitomises homecoming for all progressive politicians and technocrats in the country.
According to him, historically, most politicians are progressives
by nature.
“in 1993, they (progressives) were all in Social Democratic Party, SDP. However, in 1999, for various reasons, particularly due to lack of purposeful leadership at the centre, following the demise of Chief M.K.O Abiola, the progressive politicians were not well-coordinated.
“So, they found themselves in different political parties, allowing others to win at the centre and dominate the field.
“In 2015, a strong platform – the APC – was established to house progressive politicians, and in 2023, one of the greatest progressive politicians, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, emerged President.
“So, all progressive politicians and technocrats are returning home. That is the magnetic force. There is no place like home,” he said.
The APC chieftain noted that the recent complaint by opposition parties that Nigeria is turning to a ‘one party state’ is nothing but a misleading statement.
He said there are about 18 registered political parties in Nigeria, adding that only two out of these political parties are losing massive membership to the APC.
He said, “So, how can that be seen as an effort to make Nigeria a one-party nation?
“If there is any party that will be rightly accused of trying to make Nigeria a one-party nation, it is the party or parties meeting with the intention of collapsing registered political parties into one party in the name of “coalition’.”
