Posted by By MOSHOOD ADEBAYO, Abeokuta on
The Secretary-General of the pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, Senator Femi Okunronmu has said that Nigeria's politics is currently dominated by men of questionable characters.
The Secretary-General of the pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, Senator Femi Okunronmu has said that Nigeria's politics is currently dominated by men of questionable characters.
The Senator who represented the Ogun Central Senatorial District between 1999 and 2003 also stated that Nigeria's political systems had been hijacked by money bags, some of whom are rogues, vagabonds and criminals
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The Afenifere chieftain was fielding questions from journalists in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital during a conference organized by the Old Students of the famous Government College Ibadan (GCI) of whom he is a distinguished member.
According to him, politics in Nigeria was no longer a means of serving the people, but a means of personal aggrandizement and self-serving.
His words: "It is a matter of regret that today politics in Nigeria has become a thing of personal enrichment. It is on daily basis becoming difficult for decent people to go into politics. Politics today is about thuggery, violence. It is about having nuisance called thugs and armed them with cutlasses and guns." Lamenting what politics has become in the country, Okunronmu further said: "No nation develops with stolen fund by the few in the society. That's why Nigeria is going down day by day. That's the challenge before all of us." Nigeria now needs people with vision, people with sense of commitment; those who will propel her to greater height and not the current set of political holders who on daily basis deceive their followers."
Okunronmu who also stunned the gathering when he said that he currently belongs to no political party asked rhetorically: How many of our political holders could inconvenient themselves for the generality of the masses? The septuagenarian politician who said he is an apostle of positive political change in the country added that he would continue to advocate for a better society.
"I have always been in politics and I will continue to be in politics advocating a change in the political system. We can't continue the way we are doing and expect a better result. If we continue the way we are doing, we can't achieve a better result.
When asked which political party he belongs now, the fiery politician said, "All my political life, I have always associated with the progressive minds whether it is under the UPN of Awolowo or the AD under Baba Abraham Adesanya or the DPA.
He also told journalists that most of the political parties we currently have in the country are not only unprincipled, but they are also not focused, that's why as I today, I don't have a political party even though I'm a progressive"
Meanwhile, a public lecture to be organized by the GCI Alumni Association holds Thursday at the Cultural Centre, Kuto-Abeokuta where old boys of the renowned school which had produced the likes of the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka and several others would attend.