31 proposed states: Nigeria’s problem poor governance not state creation – Olehi

From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri

A legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Barr. Ngozi Olehi, has said that the major challenge facing Nigeria is poor governance and that the proposed creation of 31 additional states by the National Assembly demonstrates how insensitive they are to the crippling challenges that have made Nigeria a failed nation.

He said it is disturbing that the National Legislature is unperturbed that, in 2024, Nigeria was ranked the fourth-worst governed country in the world by the Chandler Good Government Index.

Addressing journalists in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Barr. Olehi stated, “The grave insecurity all over Nigeria, weak rule of law, high multidimensional poverty profile, sophisticated corruption, limitations on political participation, excessive cost of governance, extremely poor electoral culture, discrimination within its borders, and the inability of the Nigerian state to provide peace and stability to its people have dragged Nigeria into failure. I wonder why the National Assembly should consider state creation a priority in the face of these economic and political disasters plaguing the nation.”

He added, “It is disturbing that the National Assembly is unperturbed that the 2024 Chandler Good Government Index ranked Nigeria as the fourth-worst governed country in the world. The Chandler Good Government Index used seven pillars of assessment: leadership and foresight, robust laws and policies, strong institutions, financial stewardship, attractive marketplace, global influence and reputation, and helping people rise. If the National Assembly were sensitive, patriotic, and vibrant, dynamic laws and aggressive oversight functions duly created in the 1999 Constitution (as amended) would have charted the course out of the socio-economic and political abyss Nigeria has found itself in.”

Barr. Olehi insists that Nigeria’s woes are shameful emanations from decrepit leadership, which has become a formidable development obstacle and would continue to worsen the unfortunate poverty profile and decapitate economic opportunities. He stressed that there is no wisdom presently in getting the people to be running about for state creation and possibly the sharing of palliatives.