Politics
AN Ilorin based-legal practitioner, Mr. Babtunde Lawal, has called for a re-orientation of Nigerians for democracy to survive in the country.
Lawal made the appeal in Ilorin on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He said that the country’s democracy was in danger as most Nigerians have been brainwashed along the line of ethnicity and religion as determinant factors to survive and as well benefit from dividends of democracy.
According to him, the masses have been misled by their religious, ethnic and political leaders.
“Nigerians, especially the youths are threading the wrong path. We have a very wrong mentality which has really affected our way of reasoning. We have totally bowed to deceit from our leaders.
“We don’t believe in merit again in a so called democratic setting. We believe in whom you know. We favour religious and ethnic sentiments above merit to secure job and admission into schools.
“We cast our vote for our tribal man even when we know he’s not capable. We prefer to vote for person of the same religion with ours even when we know he is fraudulent.
“We need to re-orientate our youths and save democracy. Even our leaders are not taking us serious again because they know we will compromise when they mention religion and ethnicity,” he said.
The legal practitioner however called on youths to erase religious and ethnic mentality from their minds to get what they want.
He also advised the government at all levels and NGOs to consistently organise seminars for the youths’ to discourage them over-reliance on religion and ethnicity to get what they want.
He said most Nigerians were being treated as above the law where nobody could question their wrongdoings.
He called on Nigerian leaders to respect the rule of law and let the masses enjoy the democracy they crave for.
“We cannot force candidates on the masses and claim we are practicing democracy. Let their votes count and respect their choice,” he added.
The lawyer however called on journalists to join the campaign of re-orientation to help reposition democracy on the right track in the country. (NAN)
– Jun. 12, 2020 @ 12:45 GMT |
Tags: Lawyer advocates re-orientation for democracy to thrive in Nigeria
