Cardinal Okogie slams Buhari’s government over insecurity

*Cardinal Okogie condemned
the brawl between President Buhari and the Senate President, Bukola Saraki

The Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos,
Anthony Cardinal Okogie, has blasted the Executives and Legislatives over the
current face-off between them.

According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Okogie said the
executive and lawmakers should come together and work for the growth of the country.

The Cardinal said that the leaders must accept the charge of
governance by safeguarding the land from those he termed armed robbers,
kidnappers and herdsmen.

He said: “Our
politicians are busy fighting one another, exchanging blows in the hallowed
chambers of legislation, resorting to character assassination.

“Our law enforcement
institutions have been turned into their arsenal in this battle of the
sanctimonious; the executive accuses the legislature of corruption and vice
versa.

“Both parties in the
conflict pretend to be fighting for us, they are fighting to guard the ‘trophy’
they won at the last election while preparing to retain the same trophy in the
next election.

“They are so busy
fighting that they have no time to work for our security. Their sterile conflict
is, in fact, prejudicial to our security.

“Their negligence of
duty, their tantrums, their failure to be transparent and accountable with very
few exceptions, point to the fact that they are part of the equation of
insecurity in our country,’’ Okogie said in a statement.

Okogie called on
political leaders to provide infrastructure and adequate security for the
citizens. 

“Our leaders are well protected, but we the citizens are not.
Political leaders who cannot provide security are a total failure.

“Almost six decades
after independence, almost 70 years after the establishment of Nigeria’s
premier University of Ibadan, we still have to rely on medical tourism.

“But how many poor
Nigerians can afford to spend one day in a hospital overseas. How many can afford
to be away from their work for three months.

“But Nigerians have
the capacity to run good hospitals. All we just need is a leadership that
enables, not one that disables.

“They receive the
perks of office in a land where workers have gone unpaid for months, government
does not serve Nigerians and the public servant does not serve the public.”

Asking Nigerians to be in charge of protecting and preserving
their own lives and property, he asked: “Does
the life of the Nigerians have any value. If it does, can it be truly said that
Nigerians appreciate the value of life. The questions are meant for all of us.

“We all have to take
responsibility for the protection of lives and property of the citizens in this
country. We live in clear and present danger.

“We are not safe when
we are at home, neither are we safe away from home.

“Life runs the risk of
being cut short by armed robbers, kidnappers, dangerous drivers driving on
dangerous roads, driving cars that are dangerous for transportation.

“When we thought we
were gaining the upper hand in the battle with Boko Haram, violent herdsmen
stare at our helpless faces.”

The Catholic priest further brings back the attentions of the
nations’ leaders to after life on earth.

Okogie said: “One
thing is clear: almost all our political leaders are either Christian or
Muslim. The two religions teach that we shall one day account for our earthly
stewardship.

“Every leader will
stand before the ‘Just Judge’ (God) and account for the way he or she got into
positions of authority and used the authority.

“Propaganda in the
print and electronic media will be of no assistance, lies told to get elected
and falsehood peddled to remain in office will be of no value.”