Nigeria At 54: Atiku Laments Poverty Rate, Quality Of Life

As Nigeria marks its 54th independence anniversary, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has lamented that the quality of life of the people of the country has not improved, with poverty level still very high.

Atiku said rather than improving the lives of people 54 years of being independent has been 54 years of widening of the gap between the leaders and the people, between the rich and the poor.

Atiku, who founded the American University of Nigeria also noted that Nigeria was best with vast resources, which could have been easily utilized to lift its people out of poverty, but the country has so far suffered bad leadership.

The recently released Mo Ibrahim Good Governance Index lays credence to the assertion of the former president that Nigeria lacks good governance as the country ranked 37th on the list.

He however said “we should not expect individual leaders to rise above their own level of competence.

He advised that “Those seeking elective offices must be adequately prepared for leadership; they must be people with vision and commitment.”

Atiku warned that unfulfilled promises lead to disillusionment, thereby creating disconnect between the leaders and the led. He therefore advised political leaders to ensure they fulfill promises made during electioneering campaigns.

He also urged politicians to stop playing the ethnic and religious card, as it puts the unity of the country under pressure.

Atiku however called on Nigerians to continue having hope in the country, but noted that Nigeria’s future depends on if the people of the country would elect their leaders based on their competences and not primordial considerations.