Nigeria Suffering From Leadership Failure – Gov. Wike Alleges

He also said that because of such leadership failure, Nigeria now needed God more than ever in it’s history.

The Governor made this known at the Interdenominational Church Service organised in commemoration of the 61st Independence Anniversary of Nigeria that held at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Port Harcourt, on Sunday.

According to the governor, there is hardly anything for Nigerians to celebrate as the country marks 61st Independence anniversary because its leadership continues to entrench hatred, mediocrity, promote ethnicity and religion.

“This is the time that Nigeria needs God more. The country is gone. Insecurity everywhere. Everyone needs to say God, we need you because man’s leadership has failed this country.

The governor noted that, “perhaps, the only thing Nigerians can boost celebrating is the existence of the name Nigeria”.

“At 61 years,  Nigeria is full of enmity, full of divisions, hatred, ethnicity. A country that cannot put themselves together.

“Everybody has responsibility, so ask yourself questions,  have I done my own part?,” he said.

Governor Wike also observed the sorry state of Nigeria and saying that “at 61, it is far removed from being a country that can compete favourably with prosperous countries of the world, given its abundant resources”.

The governor bemoaned what had become of the nation’s legislature that continued to approve anything for the presidency, not minding the consequences of such approvals.

He also alleged that the nation’s judiciary had succumbed to intimidation because its judges had abandoned their responsibilities out of fear.

He wondered what fate Nigerians would have under such seeming tyrannical atmosphere.

“We cannot do the right things. Other countries are talking about how their elections will be transparent, we are talking about how we will rig the election in 2023.

“Simple thing, transmit election results electronically to show transparency, that really that the person you’re declaring won the election but we are afraid.”

“Where is the legislature. A legislature that cannot think, a legislature,  anything they bring is right, a legislature that can not say that Nigeria has nothing to regret from conducting free and fair election.

“A legislature that you’ll close your eyes, anything they bring, about  borrowing,  you say borrow.  A legislature that cannot say that this money we are borrowing where is it,  where are you applying it? You have no confidence to ask questions.

“The courts have been intimidated. The judges have abandoned their responsibilities out of fear. You’re seeing something that is wrong, but because you will be summoned in the night, you abandoned your responsibility,” he said

The governor also blamed the woes the country had suffered on all Nigerians who refused to do the right things, but rather allowed the wrong things to be perpetrated in all facets of the society.

He noted how ascendancy  to leadership was no longer by merit but by ethnic affinity and religious consideration, even when such person lacked the capacity required to function in such office.

Speaking further,  Gov. Wike also berated the church leadership over what he called the inordinate dressing of a young man that he saw in the church.

The governor attributed such scenario to a lack of enforcement of discipline in the church.

In his sermon, the Bishop of the Diocese of Niger Delta North, Rt. Rev. Wisdom Ihunwo, noted that only foolish people despised God and attributed their successes in life to their personal efforts and ingenuity .

Bishop Ihunwo said such foolish people abound in Nigeria because they have hearts filled with corruption, treated humanity with disdain and took delight in doing abominable things and diverting public funds for personal use.

According to Bishop Ihunwo, it is baffling that in spite of having leadership over the country, there is unabated spree of killings, a seemingly thriving kidnapping business with some officers of the nation’s military killed without drastic measures taken to return Nigeria to the path of sanity.

The Bishop, who charged the church to rise to speak courageously against the wickedness in the land, declared the judgement of God upon the sponsors of such killings and kidnapping that had put Nigeria in a pitiable state  where its people and residents could not freely celebrate the independence of the country at 61 years.

Special prayers were offered at the service for God’s favour and grace upon Nigeria and its Leaders,  Rivers State Executive Council,  the Judiciary and the Legislature,  for Governor Wike and his family,  the Church and its leaders.