Jonathan’s government is clueless, Nigeria needs urgent change – Okogie

A former Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Okogie, has said the government of President Goodluck Jonathan is clueless and that the country was in dire need rescue from what he said is the “imminent brink of irredeemable destruction.” Okogie disclosed this while speaking in Lagos at the 11th edition of the Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture/Symposium, where he was the chairman of the occasion. He urged Nigerians to face the reality and elect only persons “who know what to do,” adding that a lot needs to be done to sensitize voters not to vote for leaders based on ethnic or religious affiliations. Okogie also blasted the Jonathan-led government over the rising level of insecurity and economic woes in the country. He said, “There is extra urgency to rescue Nigeria. This is the time when every right thinking Nigerian must pray to hate the present situation strong enough so as to desire the fortitude to act right. “This time does not allow for indifference. All must rise to save Nigeria from the brink of irredeemable destruction. This is the time we must play politics of the best, for the best position, in order to guarantee the best for our nation. “Let only those with the fear of God and love of their neighbours rule Nigeria; only those who know what to do should sit at the helm of affairs. Enough of mediocrity, enough of failures, enough of nepotism, and enough of ethnicity.” Okogie also described the late Fawehinmi as a courageous, principled, selfless and a detribalised statesman. He said, “It is said that Gani Fawehinmi died a sad man. For a man who was fearless in speaking his mind without caring whose ox is gored, he was jailed many times and detained many more times for no personal crime but for his struggle to ensure justice, fairness and good governance in the country, dying without seeing signs that the new dispensation he struggled for will be achieved is a devastating blow. “Now in death, the knowledge that Nigeria has deteriorated so badly since his passing away must be giving Gani sleeplessness.” He added that if Fawehinmi were to be alive, he would have been worried over the present state of the nation “which is riddled with lies, deception, incompetence, mediocrity, hopelessness, lawlessness and lack of vision.” follow us on twitter @nattywap & facebook facebook.com/nattywap