A former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has said a lot of those occupying public offices in Nigeria should be behind bars or in the gallows.
He spoke at his residence in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, when he received some House of Representatives members.
Six members of the House of Representatives, who are co-sponsors of bills on single term of six years, rotational presidency between the north and the south as well as rotation of governorship slot among the three senatorial districts of each of the 36 states, led by Ugochinyere Ikenga, the representative of Ideato North and Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State, were at the home of the former president.
Obasanjo said that while electing leaders, character matters, a quality he said most of the public office occupants lack.
He said: “Our main problem is ourselves and until we are take care of ourselves, it doesn’t matter, we may have one term of four years one term of six years, one term of seven years, if it’s the same people and same mentality and way we do things, then it won’t change.
“Yes, the system.
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“Yes, democracy.
“We have to rethink democracy.
“We have to rethink the form of government.
“But what about the character of the people in government?
“With all due respect, most of them should be behind bars, some should even be in the gallows and that is the truth.
“Now if these are the people that are ruling us then what do you expect?
“It doesn’t matter whether you or whatever you make it, it will not work.
“So the point is the character of the people that are coming to the government.
“Their attributes, the sort of people they truly are.
“So, we need to really think about how we select leaders.
“What should be the character of a leader we select?
“What should be their track record?
“Where should we find them?
“Are they role models?
“And I think those are the first things we have to think about.”
