Onuesoke traces Nigeria’s under development to party loyalty

TRACKING> Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chieftain, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, has attributed under development in Nigeria to party loyalty by elected politicians and political appointees.

Onuesoke, who made the statement in a New Year message to Nigerians, disclosed that excessive loyalty to a ruling political party has been responsible for corruption and bad leadership because political party appointees cannot advice the ruling government, when it is going wrong because of fear of losing their appointments or fear of offending those in charge.

He stressed that some people will rather vote for an inanimate object rather than vote for an opposition candidate because of party loyalty.

“Do I think it is the best thing for these states? No; because even though most politicians are cut from the same cloth and are definitely the same – whether in party A or B . I still strongly believe that a healthy opposition will keep any government on its toes working for the betterment of her people. This is based on the condition that politicians are judged strictly on their performance and not because people are just loyal to their party,” he stated.

The PDP chieftain noted that it is unfortunate that loyal political appointees can not embark on checks and balances because his appointment came from the ruling political party.

“Every opportunist who find themselves in position of authority have to embezzle billions of naira that would have been used to build good roads, provide good health care system, provide good and qualitative education, provide infrastructure and create employment for the unemployed youths to service and maintain party leaders and structures,” he alleged.

According to him, lack of loyalty to the course of a brighter Nigeria has continued to weaken government institutions most especially the military in combating terrorism and other societal vices and the civil service in contributing to the high rate of corruption in “our dear country. “Nigeria, due to their disloyalty to the country, but by being loyal to some set of people and their stomach.

Onuesoke advised that if there must be meaningful development in Nigeria, both elected and political appointees must be given room to advice the executive and legislature on the way forward towards development of the local, state and federal government without fear or favour.