Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Kukah, has called on the Federal Government to avoid sentiments in the area of development.
Kukah said upholding the provisions of democracy requires selfless service which should not be sentimentally driven.
He made the remarks in his keynote address at the 60th anniversary of the legal practice of Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, in Ado-Ekiti.
Kukah, who delivered a lecture titled: “The Future of Constitutional Democracy in Nigeria: Imperative of a New Constitutional Order”, said, “Most leaders have only limited development to their home town which according to him, does not project democracy.
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“I must say that Daura, in Kastina has enjoyed development over time owing to the fact that it is the hometown of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari. It is disheartening to even know that even Kastina, the state as a whole, is not even close to development despite Daura being parts of its domain. This does not speak well of our democracy”
Bishop Kukah noted that we cannot continue to run a skewed country and pretend as if we are in a democracy.
“Our government has not done enough to reflect our democracy in the country”
Kukah said Nigeria needs to grow democratically and developed politically.
“There must be sanctions and consequences for those who go against our democracy and the constitution of the land for us to have a better society.”
Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, who condemned the level of corruption in Nigeria, called on President Bola Tinubu to show leadership in the area of anti- corruption.
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, chairman of the occasion, said most of the people who were supposed to uphold the constitution of Nigeria are the ones undermining democracy.
“Everybody is supposed to enjoy the constitution and our democracy, our democracy is also to deliver the dividend to citizens. Leadership and democracy is for character, understanding, knowledge and sacrifice, if these are not there, we are deceiving ourselves.”
Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, commended Afe Babalola, for providing a platform to the hopeless in the country and for what he has done to humanity.