Asks FG to refund candidates’ campaign expenses
A professor of Technology Management at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Francis Ogbimi, yesterday, advocated stoppage of the 2023 general elections.He said that no nation had developed through politics.
The don suggested that all Nigerians should be mobilised for knowledge and industrialisation from now till May, next year, adding that the nation will transform if attention is given to science and technology.
Ogbimi stated these at the presentation of his eighth book in the series: Achieving Rapid Industrialisation and Democratisation in Nigeria, held in Osogbo, Osun State.
Unveiling the new book titled: “Mobilising All Citizens For Learning, Industrialisation and Prosperity,” Ogbimi said the conduct of the forthcoming polls would be a wasted effort and resources if the nation fails to urgently learn and industrialise. Ogbimi said no presidential candidate possesses requisite capacity to lead the country to prosperity, and advocated return of their campaign expenses.
According to him, the country should conduct elections on geo-political zones so that power could be dissolved to the federating units. He urged the Federal Government to desist from funding capital investments at the detriment of learning that would catalyse industrial revolution.
“No nation has made it because of politics. Politics won’t transform Nigeria. It won’t take us anywhere. All these presidential candidates lack capacity to transform Nigeria. Let’s pay them their money for campaigns so far. Most of them know they are not going to do anything and they have not even told us anything. Politicians know they are joking with us and this nation is fast failing.
“So, they should stop wasting our time and making us suffer. It’s a futile effort that our politicians are doing. It’s bad and unwise to do. The current campaigns about presidential election should be stopped and committee-type presidential system be adopted as from May 2023. Leaders should be elected at the geopolitical zones. The six geo-political zonal leaders would form the presidential committee.
“Any nation that truly wishes to solve unemployment, poverty, insecurity and so on must strive to achieve industrialisation,” Ogbimi said.
THEGUARDIAN
