APRM/CRM: STAKEHOLDERS INDICT NIGERIAN LEADERS IN GOVERNANCE

Stakeholders at the two day interactive session of the Country Review Mission of the African Peer Review Mechanism in Yenagoa were unanimous in their views that governance in Nigeria was still in tatters. The verdict of the stakeholders, who were drawn from Bayelsa and Rivers states , was the outcome of syndicated groups which independently discussed the thematic areas of the APRM. The APRM, a vital pillar of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) seeks to assess the performance of African governments on democracy and political governance, economic governance and management, corporate governance and socio-economic development. The stakeholders noted that the practice of federalism as a form of governance in Nigeria was a contradiction of democracy which had impeded proper development of the people and every sector of the economy. Leaders of successive governments in the country, including those at state and local government levels, the stakeholders pointed out, were not accessible to the people just as large scale mismanagement of the abundant commonwealth had aggravated massive poverty and diseases across the length and breadth of Nigeria. Another aspect of the stakeholders' inference was that corruption in high places had deepened almost uncontrollable just as greed and self-aggrandizement of public office holders had led to poor implementation of government policies and programmes. The stakeholders observed that the real sectors of the country's economy were dysfunctional and in comatose because there had been no sincerity of purpose in governance over the years.The participants were also worried that very few women were holding positions of trust, insisting that, this had occasioned a huge gender inequality in governance. The stakeholders, who deliberated for over two hours during their syndicate groups' analysis of governance in Nigeria, vis-à-vis the four key areas of the APRM, described lack of participation in governance by the people as a travesty of democracy and good governance. According to the stakeholders, good corporate governance could only be achieved when practical transparency and accountability has been instituted through actionable mechanisms that give priority to sanctions for maladministration at all levels. Making his observation on the verdict of the syndicate groups, Team Leader of the Country Review Mission, Professor Shedrach Bhutto corroborated the views of the stakeholders, saying that corruption had been Nigeria's greatest predicament. Bhutto, a South African, said the cancer of corruption had gone very deep into the country so much so that it had been internationalized. The Country Team Leader maintained the four planks of the APRM would not make impact if corruption and the several other factors highlighted by the stakeholders were not removed from the system. Bhutto said hunger, poverty, disease and under-development had become common features in the index of governance in the country, pointing out that the four thematic areas of the APRM, if well implemented, would enhance development and governance.Earlier, Bayelsa State governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, who was represented by his deputy, Mr. Peremobowei Ebebi, noted that good governance was a basic requirement for peace and sustainable political and socio-economic development."The success and failure of economic vision lies with our sense of commitment, the political will and above all the much needed ingredients of good governance for the overall benefit of the common man", Sylva opined. Sylva, who wondered whether African leaders were living up to the challenges of the goals set by African Union, further said lack of commitment to democratic ideals had led to avoidable conflicts in African countries such as Kenya, Zimbabwe and Corte de'Ivoire, among others. While drawing attention to the Niger Delta crises which had become an international problem, Sylva said sustainable peace would continue to elude Nigeria unless there was justice, equity and fairness in governance."Nigeria's self-assessment card also shows that there is endemic poverty, hunger and disease ravaging the country with the grim statistics of living less than one dollar per day, which is the United Nations bench mark for poverty, while life expectancy which used to be 53 has been reduced to 47 years", he said.He urged that affirmative actions and practical solution should be achieved at the end of the review mission to justify the aims and objectives of the APRM to strengthen transparency and accountability in governance in Nigeria.In her remarks, the Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government, Dr. Boloere Ketebu-Nwokeafor said the focus of the APRM was to deepen democracy and enthrone good governance through effective leadership. The African continent, Ketebu-Nwokeafor noted, still to a large extent is confronted with leadership crises, adding that Nigeria could only catch up if "we tackle this overwhelming challenge of engendering good leadership.”The SSG expressed hope that the four key planks of the APRM, at the end of the review exercise, would have charted a new roadmap for rapid socio-economic development in Nigeria .