Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed the idea that switching to a single six-year term for political office holders would resolve Nigeria’s challenges. He stressed that the real issue lies in the mentality and character of both the nation’s leaders and its citizens.
Speaking on Friday, August 9, 2024, at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta while hosting six members of the House of Representatives, Obasanjo emphasized the need for what he termed “moral rearmament.” He warned that Nigeria is sitting on a “keg of gunpowder” that could explode at any moment unless decisive actions are taken to address the country’s numerous problems.
“The demand for a single six-year term won’t solve our problems. What we need is a change in our mentality and character,” Obasanjo said. “If you give someone a single term of six years, they can still do the evil they would have done in two terms of four years. The only difference is that they would do it within six years instead of four.”
The former President criticized the current approach of those in power, highlighting that successive governments have failed to build on the foundation he laid during his time in office. “Sadly, the blocks we put there are even being removed. We take one step forward, two steps aside, and four steps backward,” he lamented.
Obasanjo further stated that merely altering the system of government would be futile without addressing the deeper issues within the country. “The very beginning is ourselves. We must decarbonize our brains and rethink our democracy. With all due respect, most of those in government should right now be behind bars or in the gallows,” he remarked.
Obasanjo concluded by urging Nigerians to stop treating opposition as enemies and instead work together to move the country forward. “We need everyone to join hands together and move society forward. The issue for me is not about the system but the character of the people in government.”
