Nigeria needs good governance, justice, equity to turn things around, says Bala Mohammed

By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja

Governor of Bauchi State and presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bala Mohammed has Identified

good governance, justice and equity as the main things Nigeria currently needs to move out of her present predicament.

Mohammed said this yesterday while addressing the national leadership of the PDP, led by the party’s National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu yesterday in Abuja.

The Bauchi Governor added that the country equally needs good and excellent managers of scarce resources and not those who will keep accumulating debts for the nation.

He observed with sadness that the available resources in the country were not been properly harnessed and utilized for the benefits of it’s people.

According to him, ‘What they need is good governance, justice and equity. And then management of scarce resources. Not borrowing money.

“We are doing it in Bauchi with little resources. You don’t have to be a rich state before you develop and provide infrastructure and services.

“What you need is correct procurement, not reinventing the wheel, looking at what the tiger economies used.

“The resources are not exploited in Nigeria. What we need is security and the security can only be provided by justice and equity. Equitable distribution of resources, closing of rank, making everybody feel important and dignified”, he said.

Speaking about his ability and competence to lead, Mohammed, a former Senator said, “As somebody who has traversed all the constituencies of the public service, the civil service, the National Assembly and indeed, the media, with all these experiences, we have built bridges. I’m a team player. I can only lead and Nigeria needs leadership”.

Continuing, he said, “I have benefited from Nigeria and I have walked to stabilize Nigeria in the past.

“From the National Assembly before my ascension to national limelight, we came up with the doctrine of necessity against some permutations of ill feelings somewhere  aimed at destabilizing the country”.

He added, “ I’m offering myself to run for this office (presidency), out of the need to serve because I have served at various levels as a media man, as a civil servant, as a senator, a legislator and now as a Governor. I know the country very well. And of course, I will not put you to shame. I will not put the country to shame.

“There is nothing that has not been said about me. When we lost the election. I passed through a lot of aspects of investigation. I consider these aspects as part of accountability. I don’t bear any malice against anybody who investigated me.

“But I dare anybody to find me guilty, because I know my conscience and that’s why I’m still standing here. I dare every investigative agency, I did my best. But I’m a human. I’m not infallible”, he said.

The Governor assured however that if, at the end of the, he does not emerge as the presidential candidate of the party, he would support whoever gets the ticket.