The Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG has warned that Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari can by all standards of judgement be categorised a failed state even as a former speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’Abba, expressed concern over the deepening distrust in the country, saying the current leadership has created mistrust among Nigerians.
Na’Abba who spoke at the Maitama Sule Leadership Lecture Series at the Nasarawa state University with the theme, “Constitution, Constitutionalism and the future of Nigeria” organised by the Students wing of the CNG, stressed the need for the federal government to secure the nation’s forests amidst increase in kidnappings and banditry attacks.
“More has to be done by the federal government to secure our forests,” he said.
On review of the nation’s Constitution, he said Nigeria needs a new Constitution as against the amendment of the 1999 Constitution to accommodate emerging issues of good governance for the greater interest of all Nigerians.
Na’Abba also stressed the need for the federal government to do more in terms of developing and expanding the nation’s economy.
Na’Abba also said Nigeria politics must “be deregulated because the nation cannot expand its economy without deregulating politics and this deregulation comes in the form of the control that political parties have been subjected to under the governor in the states.
Also speaking at the event, Spokesperson of the CNG, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman lamented that by all standards of judgement, Nigeria can today be categorised a failed state under the current administration, having disintegrated to a point where basic conditions and responsibilities of a sovereign government no longer function properly.
“Nigeria can also be said to have failed as the government appears to be losing the necessary elements of stability which are effectiveness and legitimacy.
“Likewise, the nation has weakened and its standard of living declined, introducing the possibility of total governmental collapse.
“Virtually, all the characterizes of that qualifies Nigeria to be categorised a failed state have manifested in the last five years: loss of control of its territory, and of the monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force, and inability to provide public services.
“The Nigerian central government has today become so weak and ineffective that it has an inability to raise support, and has little practical control over much of its seaways, highways and forests, hence there is a non-provision of public services.
“Already, widespread corruption and criminality, the intervention of state and non-state actors, the appearance of refugees and the involuntary movement of populations, have become the order of the day compounded by a sharp economic decline,” Suleiman said.
