Niger State governor Abubakar Bello has opined that corrupt politicians in Nigeria be banned from participating in active politics.
According to Punch, he said this while speaking at the inauguration of the Niger State branch of Nigerian Association of Technologists in Engineering (NATE) in Minna.
He was represented at the event by the Commissioner for Information Jonathan Vatsa. He said:
I will say it over and over again, corrupt politicians and civil servants should be banned from participating in active politics if we want Nigeria to move forward.
In China, corrupt leaders are being executed; if in our own case we can’t execute them, then we should ban them from participating in politics and give opportunity to those who are clean, honest and have the fear of God.
He added that citizens should ask questions of politicians they voted into power.
He said since politicians are elected by the votes of the people, they should be held accountable. He said:
The fundamental issue facing us as a nation is corruption and if you look at Niger State, we are where we are today because in the past we had corrupt leaders who were not able to manage the people’s resources wisely.
One good thing about democracy is that the people should ask questions; we came in through their votes and not by power. Those who voted us in should ask us questions, how their monies are being spent because it will bring about checks and balances.
