Former Governor of Jigawa State and prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Sule Lamido, has strongly criticized the Northern governors for their recent visit to the United States.
Lamido argued that this trip revealed their lack of understanding of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The former governor expressed this viewpoint in a statement posted on his official Facebook page on Sunday.
The Northern governors journeyed to the United States to participate in a peace summit organized by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP).
Lamido remarked, “Our Northern governors, as concerned leaders, traveled all the way to the United States of America to attend a lecture at the American Institute for Peace titled ‘ADVANCING STABILITY IN NORTHERN NIGERIA,’ aiming to find a lasting solution to the persistent challenges of insecurity in their respective states.
“Their commitment, though commendable, ultimately revealed their lack of understanding of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the very document that grants them legitimacy and authority as Governors.
“If the Governors had traveled to the US to address issues like enhancing agriculture, improving healthcare, or tackling other urgent local matters listed on the Concurrent List of our Constitution, that would have been more understandable.
“However, engaging in matters falling under the Exclusive Legislative List, such as security, speaks volumes about their depth of understanding.
“Security is an extensive domain that demands their Excellencies to possess a profound comprehension. Many urban areas in their states lack access to clean drinking water, and streets are overrun by refuse dumps.”
“Our children receive primary education under the canopy of trees, and even where classrooms exist, they are compelled to learn while seated on the bare floor. Astonishingly, their Excellencies fail to grasp the security implications of this dire situation.
“The deliberate imposition of poverty through poorly conceived government policies has stripped citizens of their dignity, honor, and self-worth, reducing them to queuing and scrambling for palliatives from patronizing and condescending leaders. Surprisingly, the insecurity arising from this situation seems to be of no worry or concern to them.”
“You witness governors lacking in human empathy, disregarding dignity and decency, shamelessly tossing money from open jeeps like confetti, as seen with the Governor of Niger State. Yet, they remain oblivious to the security ramifications of such actions.
“If these governors were genuinely committed to addressing security concerns, they could have organized lectures on the matter locally, saving the wasteful expenditure of flights, hotels, and the valuable time of their aides, all at the expense of governing their states.”
“They could have undoubtedly gleaned ample insights from our own well-equipped institutions like NIPSS in Kuru Jos, ASCON in Badagry, or even NIA.
These institutions possess an abundance of materials, essays, and templates on Nigeria’s security challenges, far surpassing the offerings of distant institutions like the American Institute.”
The former governor, however, pointed fingers at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the NIA, holding them responsible for failing to adequately advise the governors.
Lamido remarked, “I hold the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the NIA accountable for not offering proper guidance to the governors in this misstep.
“The governors couldn’t have undertaken the trip without facilitation from the Ministry or our Embassy in Washington.
“Nigeria and Nigerians now bear the stigma of ‘amplifying our shame and embarrassment beyond our borders’ due to their Excellencies!”
He further remarked, “One is inclined to believe Rufai Oseni’s recent assertion that ‘Nigerian madness knows no bounds or limits.”
“In Nigeria today, the greatest challenge one faces is maintaining sanity in this chaotic nation,” he stated.
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