Nigerian Senator Dino Melaye has said the reason Nigerians are yet to feel the
impact of change promised by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)
is because of the civil servants who according to him, are responsible
for major corruption in the country and have refused to repent and
internalize the change mantra within their hearts.
Dino Melaye, who stated this during a chat with the media in Abuja, noted
that change mantra was not about the APC as a political party but about
the way Nigerians conduct themselves and operate government agencies and
activities.
He urged civil servants, politicians and those in positions of
authority to become born-again and begin to act positively towards
ameliorating the mistakes of the past so that the impact of the change
mantra can be felt by the people.
The senator also said that people who abuse processes and the laws of
the land must be questioned by Nigerians, pointing-out that the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal,
ought to have resigned had Nigerians come out of their cocoons to
question his indictment in the N250 million grass-cutting scandal in the
North-East.
He said: “The change mantra is not about the All Progressives
Congress (APC). The civil servants who are responsible for major
corruption in the system are still the same people.
“The message of change is not only to members of the APC. It is to
Nigeria and Nigerians on how we conduct ourselves; and, how we operate
government agencies and activities.
“Nigerians, we must have attitudinal change, we must decide that the
country is in recession now and we are approaching depression so we must
begin to take the right steps inwardly.
“Civil servants in this country, politicians, those who find
themselves in positions of authority must become born-again, and begin
to act positively towards ameliorating our past.
“I have insisted that on his honour the Secretary to the Government
of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, ought to have resigned by now like I
said the last time, he should be reciting the psalms and asking for
mercy.
“But unfortunately, it is when we start punishing criminals in power,
when we start punishing thieves in power, when Nigerians stop
celebrating mediocrity and corruption that we will begin to have
headway.
“These days, a man steals money from government and what you do is to
celebrate him; then we cannot get out of the woods. Let me say that in
an unjust society, silence is a crime.
“People who abuse processes and the laws of the land must be
questioned. We must all get out of cocoons and begin to ask questions.
It is laughable that Babachir Lawal is still seating in council as SGF. I
mean, it does not portray any sense of responsibility at any level.
“I want to say that not only him but every other thief in power must
be questioned. Nigerians must demonstrate the capacity to ask questions.
If I. Dino Melaye, is found wanting, Nigerians should come out and ask
me questions. They should be bold to tell me that I have abused my oath
of office.”