Reason Buhari’s change agenda is failing according to Niran Malaolu

– At the Lagos Open Parliament organised by CACOL, issues affecting Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari were discussed

– Guest speaker at the event, Niran Malaolu traced the source of the challenges facing the country and tells Nigerians what to do

Top human rights activist, Niran Malaolu, has declared that the change agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration would not succeed.

Niran Malaolu with Debo Adeniran and other guests at the event

Malaolu hinged his argument on the fact that the country is structurally defective and as a result, there is no positive policies that would work.

He said until the defect is addressed, the country would not develop as desired.

The activist, one of the senior journalists that were given life imprisonment by the late military dictator, Sani Abacha, said the president was yet to meet most of his promises to Nigerians because “his hands are tied.”

Speaking at the Lagos Open parliament, an periodic event organized by the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) headed by Debo Adeniran on Tuesday, August 30, 2016, Malaolu said Nigeria practices a system that “robs Peter to pay Paul.”

He also berated Nigerians for remaining docile.

READ ALSO: Why Dambazau, Buratai, CCB must be investigated – CACOL

“Buhari is finding it difficult because any government that robs Peter to pay Paul must have the support of Paul. There are many Pauls in the country.

“If you don’t know how to hold your government responsible, your government will continue to rob you,” he said adding: “They have their colleagues in the churches and mosque, where you would be told to continue to hope against hope believing that things would be better someday that would never come.”

Explaining the structural defect, he said Lagos state is known to have the largest population in Nigeria, but that a politically motivated census figure puts the state below Kano.

While noting that Lagos generates the highest Value Added Tax (VAT) among all the states in Nigeria, lamented that Sokoto, which banned the consumption of alcohol, shared from the VAT.

To him, Lagos only generates revenue which is enjoyed by Kano and others because allocations are given to states according on population.

READ ALSO: Why Fashola, Adeosun should be fired

“Lagos collects more VAT than any other state in Nigeria, so why should the population be smaller than Kano? Does it mean that people in Kano don’t eat?” He asked rhetorically.

“We are in prison structurally, and this is why the change won’t work.

“The nation cannot continue like this or you will not have your freedom.

“The governors know this but would not talk so that they can be seen as politically correct,” he added.

He commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state for embarking on projects and making the state peaceful.

He however maintained that without the basic things in place to sustain the governor’s achievements, the government can fail in the long run.

He revealed that governors receive, at least N200 million as security votes while rendering local governments in their states comatose.

READ ALSO: CACOL slams APC, Buhari over leadership style

“The governor takes at least N200 million as security votes. They don’t touch it. So the security operatives, knowing the governors have the money, would go and cause trouble somewhere.

“Go and check those going about doing courtesy calls, they are the same people who have destroyed Nigeria.

“The earlier we start building this nation, the better for us because no other country will come and do it for you,” he said.

CACOL had also recently slammed the president and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) saying they have failed the country.

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