......Rebukes ex-governors seeking
medical treatment abroad
 |
| Dr.
Austin Orette |
Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC)
Senatorial Candidate in Delta South, Dr. Austin Orette, on Tuesday listed the
collapse of civic consciousness and citizen participation in governance as key
problems bedeviling Nigeria.
"For decades, Nigerians have
been told that corruption is the nation's greatest enemy. While corruption has
undoubtedly weakened our institutions, I contend that it is only a symptom of a
much deeper national crisis: the collapse of civic consciousness and citizen
participation in governance."
He also urged the current
administration to work towards resolving issues bordering on corruption in the
country.
"The Nigeria we seek will
emerge when citizens stop behaving like spectators and begin to act like
stakeholders. Only then will corruption diminish, institutions become stronger,
and leadership become truly accountable."
Orette gave the advice in a
statement in Owhelogbo, Isoko North Local Government Area.
He said Nigeria as a country with
myriads of problems had no choice but to begin with civic education, critical
thinking, active participation, and the collective determination to build
democracy from the ground up—not from the top down.
‘"A democratic nation cannot
thrive when its citizens do not understand how the government works or what
their constitutional responsibilities are. Democracy was never designed to
function as a system where leaders dictate from the top while citizens merely
applaud, complain, and wait for miracles. Democracy is built from the ground
up. It succeeds only when informed citizens actively hold every level of
government accountable. Sadly, that is not the Nigeria we see today."
He complained about ignorance and
the operation of public officials without scrutiny.
"Millions of Nigerians know the
name of the President but have little or no idea who represents them in their
Local Government Council or the State House of Assembly. Many cannot identify
their councilor, yet these are the officials whose decisions most directly
affect their daily lives. Local governments receive monthly allocations from
Abuja, but very few citizens ask how those funds are spent. Few understand the
constitutional functions of local government, and fewer still demand
transparency or measurable results."
In a veiled reference to non-performing
politicians in the country, the Delta South senatorial candidate said: ‘’we
have become a nation where citizens often celebrate politicians instead of
evaluating them’’.
"Leadership has been reduced to
personality worship. Rather than demanding competence, accountability, and
measurable development, many people judge leaders through the lenses of
ethnicity, religion, and political loyalty. When hardship comes, instead of
organizing, questioning, and participating in governance, many simply pray for
a political messiah with a magic wand."
Religion, he said, was detaching the
people from civic responsibility.
"Faith is important, but faith
should never replace responsible citizenship. An unhealthy culture of excessive
religiosity, detached from civic responsibility, has encouraged passive
acceptance instead of constructive engagement. A society cannot pray away
problems that require informed governance, sound policies, and active citizen
participation."
The Nigerian American medical
doctor, entrepreneur and political figure stressed on the apparent problems in
the country.
"Security has deteriorated to
the point where law-abiding citizens now organize their lives around fear.
Instead of criminals fearing the law, ordinary Nigerians are advised where not
to travel, when not to leave their homes, and even how women should dress to
avoid becoming victims. Such advice reflects the failure of governance, not the
responsibility of innocent citizens."
He accused state governors of
choosing prestige projects over productive investments that genuinely improve
people's lives.
"At the state level, many
governments possess constitutional powers they barely utilize. States can
invest in electricity generation, improve infrastructure, strengthen local
security mechanisms within the law, and create environments that stimulate
economic growth. Yet many choose prestige projects over productive investments
that genuinely improve people's lives."
The reform driven political leader
rebuked public officials who seek medical treatment abroad after spending years
in office without building functional healthcare systems at home.
"As a proud son of Delta State,
I find it deeply troubling that we continue to celebrate expensive projects
while neglecting investments that would generate sustainable economic
prosperity. A state blessed with enormous natural and human resources should
not still struggle with basic infrastructure like reliable electricity. Perhaps
nothing illustrates our leadership crisis more than public officials who seek
medical treatment abroad after spending years in office without building
functional healthcare systems at home. When leaders refuse to trust the
institutions they supervised, they expose the failure of their own stewardship.
Even more troubling, is that many of these same individuals seek elective
office again—and are often rewarded with another mandate."
He advised citizens on democratic
responsibilities.
"The fault, however, does not
lie with leaders alone. Citizens who abandon their democratic responsibilities
inevitably empower poor leadership. When voters’ have no objective standards
for measuring performance, elections become contests of sentiment rather than
competence. Tribal loyalties, religious affiliations, patronage networks, and
political propaganda replace evidence-based evaluation. This is why blaming the
President alone for every national problem misses the larger picture. The
President leads a federation that depends on functioning states and effective
local governments. National progress cannot be delivered solely from Abuja. It
must be built in every ward, every local government, every community, and every
state. Nigeria will change only when Nigerians understand that sovereignty
ultimately belongs to the people. Every citizen has both the right and the duty
to demand accountability from those entrusted with public office. Democracy
flourishes not through blind loyalty but through informed participation. The
future of our nation depends not only on electing better leaders but also on
becoming better citizens."
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