***Urges  Nigeria to set Aside Tribalism, Religious Sentiments and put Nigeria first

*** Says Politicians get into office and become Dictators

By Henry Umoru

THE Immediate past Vice President of Sierra Leone, Alhaji Sam Sumana, yesterday said that if Nigeria as a country must be where other African countries place it and get its place among the comity of nations, the country must as a matter of urgency, strengthen the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC I order for the electoral body to more efficiently and effectively  achieve its set objectives. 

According to him, the narratives must change and Nigeria as a country must have a paradigm shift by strengthening INEC, the security agencies and other institutions of governments in order to have a better nation.

In his goodwill message yesterday  in Abuja at a 2-day  Roundtable on the evaluation of the last general elections during the  National Roundtable with the theme: “The role and Performances of Stakeholders in the 2019 General elections, issues, challenges and prospects”, which was put together by the Centre for Transparency Advocacy, CTA in collaboration with Chairmen of Nigeria Political Parties, the former Vice President also took a swipe at politicians who use democracy to get to power and at the end of the day, become dictators.

According to him, if Nigeria must get it right, sentiments of tribalism, of ethnicity, of religion, must be set aside and for everyone to think of Nigeria first as well as embrace peace, just as he said that we should think and plan for the next generation,  learn from where we are to forge into the future, adding that without peace, there can be no meaningful development.

Speaking further, Sumana who thanked Nigeria and Nigerians for the roles played in ensuring that peace returned to the then war-torn country of Sierra Leone, however said that democracy in Africa is a learning process, adding that other African countries learn from Nigeria as well as look up to Nigeria as the giant of Africa, hence it has become imperative for us it get it right as a nation.

The former Vice President of Sierra Leone said, “I thank the nation Nigeria for been there for us. Those days where people ran away because of civil strife.

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“Our continent has been a continent which we have all began to do something in the right direction, we have today agreed to transform that in accepting what is called democracy, for, by and of the people. This is a new culture for us. And as fragile democracy, as we have in our continent, I say to all of us it is a learning process. We should applaud us for giving peace a chance in our country, Nigeria.

“We look up to you to emulate the good examples those examples can help us to be sure that Africa is no more seen in the eyes of the camera for the wrong things but Africa will be seen as a continent of reform so that we can transform our continent and be partners in the socio-economic development of this great universe.

Yes, we have adopted democracy, as politicians, we have a moral contract with our citizenry.

“We use democracy as a conduit to get into office, when we get into office,  we become dictators. This is a time for us to have a change in the right direction that Africans need so as to transform our continent. It is a journey that we can achieve, I believe that all of us having responsibility for the next generation we need to see Africa transform.

“This is a task that we can all undertake. I appeal to us with the diversity in political platforms we agree to come together to build one Nigeria, a country that Africa is proud of. We look up to Nigeria for leadership in the sub-region.

“We can only talk about development when we have peace. When we give peace a chance we will able to transform our various countries and Africa as a whole.

“As we continue to dialogue putting aside sentiments and tribalism and putting Nigeria first, we will build a stronger country for us to move forward. We need to strengthen institutions like INEC, security agencies.”

VANGUARD