By Hadiza Suleman
Former Nigerian president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Friday, said Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder that might explode if care was not taken.
Obasanjo spoke when six members of the National Assembly visited his at his Otta Farm in Abeokuta.
He justified the hunger strike witnessed in some parts of the country, adding that the act was legitimate.
According to him, the hardship in the country might degenerate with serious consequences if not addressed as soon as possible.
Quoting him, “As I have warned earlier, we should recognise that we are all sitting on a powder keg if we fail to begin doing the right thing. For instance, what the youths are demanding is very legitimate and should be listened to. Why should they be denied what rightfully belongs to them?
“You are what you are today because you’re a Nigerian. I’m what I am also because I’m a Nigerian. So why should they be Nigerians and be languishing in poverty?
“They make demands, and we’re not listening to them. Many of them are frustrated, desperate, angry and unemployed. What do we expect?”
He called for re-programming of the mentally of Nigerian leaders to enthrone a national rebirth.
Quoting him, “If the mentality of the people in governance does not change, then Nigeria will remain where it is. We have to decarbonise our brain. If you give a person one single term of six years, he will do the same harm he could have done in two terms of four years.
“If you have a system you can trust; you have an INEC you can trust, then it will not matter the number of years.”
Hon Ikenga Ugochinyere, one of the lawmakers, said that the country should move toward adopting a single six-year term for president.
Our correspondent reports that the six legislators are co-sponsors of a bill seeking a single six-year term for presidency and rotation between the North and the South.
Other lawmakers who visited Chief Obasanjo are Abdulmalik Danga (Kogi), Midala Malami (Borno), Matthew Nwogu (Imo), Peter Aniekwe (Anambra) and Kama Nkemkama (Ebonyi).
