Diri: Why Decent Nigerians Avoid Politics
Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, has said that many Nigerians have sworn not to take part in the game of politics because greedy and selfish politicians have chosen to introduce thuggery and violence to it, by arming innocent people to kill on their behalf.
Diri stated this on Sunday during a special retirement thanksgiving service in honour of Air Vice Marshal Nelson Calmday at the Living Faith Church of God at Akenfa-Epie, Yenagoa.
Diri, who said the development portends grave danger to the country’s electoral system, noted that as a result of the trend, there was a general notion that the game of politics was synonymous with violence, corruption and dishonesty.
The governor said most decent people dread politics because of such notion. He, however, dismissed the perception and rather encouraged such people, particularly Christians, to get actively involved in politics towards sanitising the electoral system.
He said: “Politics actually should be played by decent and honest people, who are ready to serve and protect the interest of the people.
“How long will Africans continue to play politics of violence, brigandage and impunity as if we are in the stone age? We should learn to rise above such antics in our electoral system.
“In sane climes, elections take place peacefully without violence. Should we hand over this state to a group of gangsters; people who think the state belongs to them?”
The governor said: “There is what we call poverty of the mind apart from poverty of the pocket. There is also integrity in poverty. When your mind is intact, nobody will influence you with little money.
“You have tested our government, which says we will not use any organ to kill anybody. We want our state to be peaceful; we want our state to develop. You are seeing it, but on the day of election, you collect money to vote for those who do not mean well for the state. Those you do not see until election season and afterwards they disappear.”
In his remarks, Oforji Oboku revealed that he has a cordial relationship with the governor and has supported him from when he contested election into the House of Representatives, Senate and the governorship.
