The Catholic Archbishop of Owerri and President Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), His Grace Most Rev Dr Lucius Ugorji has that good governance begins with credible , free and fair elections.
He noted that the management of the Independent National Electoral Commission, had treated Nigerians to what ” we can call, the more you look, the less you see.”
The Cleric said that quest of Nigerians to have the country of their dream would continue to be a mirage if the lingering inequitable distribution of the nation’s wealth and the persistent faulty electoral process are not addressed.
The Catholic Prelate who stated this on Sunday when he paid a pastoral visit to St. Mary’s Catholic Parish, Iho Dimeze, Ikeduru local council area of Imo State.
His words: “The 2020 World Bank Report is a pointer to the suffering in our land. According to the report, only one percent of the 80 percent of the nation’s oil sold, get to the masses.
“The bulk of this revenue is sadly cornered by those in power, their cronies and relations, while the rest of us sulk in abject penury. This is why we now have unknown gunmen, Fulani herdsmen, kidnappers, festering agitation from different parts of the country.
“The problem of inequitable distribution of the nation’s resources remains palpable and until our government finds a way out of the quagmire, we may never move forward.”
Taking a critical look at Nigeria’s democratic environment, Archbishop Ugorji said: “Good governance begins with credible, free and fair elections. Sadly, Nigerians have never had a happy story about elections in Nigeria.
According to him , “Nigerian citizens know those that can effectively manage the nation’s resources but the sad thing is that a select few, transformed themselves into a cabal and have continued to unilaterally decided who should run the nation’s affairs.
“The management of the Independent National Electoral Commission, here, treated the people to what we can call, the more you look, the less you see. There were lots of irregularities in the last election. We are yet to get over the problems arising from the illicit happenings in the last general election.
“We are still waiting for the decisions of the judges charged with the responsibilities of adjudicating over the election matters brought before them. These judges should see the challenge before them as crucial and divine. They cannot afford the luxury of disappointing Nigeria and Nigerians, in the discharge of their current national assignment.”
While calling for what he tagged “a more purposeful electoral reform in Nigeria”, Archbishop Ugorji said: “We are looking forward to when people’s vote must count. We are also looking forward to a reform which will ensure that a victor in all electoral contest, must truly emerge before being sworn-in.”
