“Nigerians will demand a great deal from you (legislators) to heal our wounded and divided nation.”
Renowned Nigerian human rights activist and former President of Nigerian Bar Association, Olisa Agbakoba, has urged the 10th National Assembly to tackle Nigeria’s numerous social and economic problems. Agbakoba expressed concerns about the country’s present state, which he described as “perhaps the greatest challenge in our convoluted history.” He noted the insecurity situation, mass unemployment, broken hospitals, schools, bad roads and the high cost of living are among the lingering issues facing Nigeria.
In a statement on Wednesday, Agbakoba called on Nigerian citizens to pressure federal lawmakers in delivering on their mandate. He also urged the National Assembly to focus on revenue generation, adding that there are “low hanging fruits that can raise 100 trillion to sort out our huge problems.”
Agbakoba specifically campaigned for an overhaul of the anti-corruption process, which he considers ineffective due to the lack of cooperation amongst various anti-corruption agencies. According to him, many of the agencies are operating independently without consideration of one another. The legal practitioner called for a critical review of the legal framework of such agencies for effectiveness.
Nigeria’s 10th National Assembly now has a crucial duty to address these issues, as Agbakoba firmly believes that Nigerians demand a great deal from them in healing and uniting the nation.
- This call-to-action by Olisa Agbakoba raises awareness of the pressing issues facing Nigeria.
- An overhaul of the anti-corruption process and agencies will be necessary to ensure their effectiveness.
- The National Assembly must consider revenue generation measures to address the socio-economic problems of the country.
- Nigerians expect their government representatives to rise to the challenges currently facing the nation.
