Nigerian politicians lack patriotic zeal -Peters
Executive Director Setting Leadership Initiative, Sir AK Peters says many Nigerian political leaders are unable to provide good governance in the country due to lack patriotic zeal.
Sir Peters made the observation in Abuja on Tuesday at the First All Inclusive National Conference and Roundtable of Religious Advisers in Nigeria, organised by the Setting Leadership Initiative, with the theme, ‘Religious Tolerance: A SINE QUA NON To Peaceful Election in Nigeria’, under the distinguished Chairmanship of His Excellency, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and The Most Rev. Mathew Hassan Kukah as keynote presenter.
He said that political leaders are not working for the national interest, but rather for personal interest.
According to Peters, “this made it portative to organise the forum to review the contributions religious advisers have been making and forged a way forward to make sure that Nigerians are provided free, fair and peaceful elections come 2019.
‘Nigeria politicians always have high respect for their spiritual fathers. They listen to their advises more than any. What ever resolutions made here after the program, will be packaged and passed to them for the politicians. It easy to get message across through them because of the position they are occupying in the life of any average Nigerian politicians”, he said.
Peters also stated that the current crop of political leaders lacked either the principles or ideology for contesting or occupying political positions.
According to him, most politicians are concerned about their personal interest and how to enrich their pockets to the detriment of the populace.
“In the country today, we have politicians who have no principles or ideology why they are in political leadership”, he said.
Sir AK Peters, Director, Settings Leadership Initiative/Event Convener
Peters, who is also Convener of the conference, said there is a need for Nigerian leaders to adopt the spirit of patriotism in their leadership style, to move the country forward.
He urged the 2019 candidates to work toward making sure that they avoid flaming the fire of violence by playing according to the laid down rules, no- hate speech, non-violence inciting, that the campaign should be on issue based.
He added that good leadership revolves around patriotism, commitment and sacrifice not insincerity, impatient, indiscipline and non -tolerance.
“Leadership is about Patriotism, commitment and sacrifice rather what we have in Nigeria politics are politicians who are insincere, impatient, not discipline and non-tolerance and this calls for orientation of the mindset of Nigerians politicians.
“To understand the rudiments of politics, and this we believe religious advisers have roles to play and will take our messages home to them” he said.
He, however, mentioned that all the participants are to sign pact, at the end of the conference.
