By Afusat Agunbiade-Oladipo
The Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, has identified corruption as the mitigator to dividends of democracy.
Gambari described persistent corruption as the major factor affecting dividends of democracy.
He stated this on Friday in Ilorin while delivering the 12th Convocation Lecture of Al-Hikmah University, llorin, titled “Democratic transition and challenges of good governance and human security in Nigeria”.
The chief of staff therefore called on governors and local government council chairmen to support the president in the fight against corruption to ensure adequate human capital development across the nation.
According to him, the challenges of human security afflicting democracies is a global phenomenon as the situation is exercising the minds of scholars, activists and leaders around the world.
He called on Nigerian community scholars in general, including Al-Hikmah University, to workout systematic approach on
how democratic governance could be recalibrated to meet the challenges of very rapidly changing times as well as how elected government to answer the problems of the day.
He noted that the federal government would continue to combat home grown criminal gangs, pirate groups and anti-democratic forces in order to curtail poverty and unemployment.
While calling for urgent action, Gambari explained the need to ensure that democratic governance works to advance human security.
The chief of staff to the president said significant strides have been made in the implementation of security, economic and anti-corruption programmes.
“First, we have a population that is still growing and which is overwhelmingly youthful.
“Secondly, in the face of real challenges, unhealthy ideologies and fears that are threatening to divide Nigerians, need to be countered with a new vision of faith in the benefits of our oneness and hope in our future.
“Indeed, we must not permit the enemies of the Nigerian state
to triumph over the legitimate aspiration for a united, peaceful and prosperous nation.
“Thirdly, in the global effort to remake democratic governance, it cannot and must be that Nigeria and Africa should find themselves simply adopting the role of rule takers, as against claiming a seat at the table as rule makers as well. (NAN)
