Political, traditional, community and union leaders responsible for underdevelopment in Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency – Amb. Olayemi Paul

The National President of Youth Ambassadors For Positive Impact Foundation ( YAPI Foundation), Amb. Olayemi Paul has admonished the political, traditional, community as well as union leaders in Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency to always put the interest of the constituency ahead of their personal interest saying their actions and inactions have been contributing in no small measure to the underdevelopment of the constituency. He made this known in an open letter titled “The poor implementation of developmental projects in Ifo/Ewekoro Constituency and Ifo Local Government Constituencies as a whole,” made available to Community Gist. The letter reads:

“This write up is to sensitise both the political leaders, at various levels and political office holders including all politicians on the state of governance of our dear Constituency / Ifo Local Government as a whole and assesses the factors militating against the promotion of effective service and the causes of underperforms from political office holders of the Constituencies. I want to draws particular attention to the inherent challenges for the weak performance of some political office holders.

“The expectation of non politicians and masses generally is to elect someone to take a decisive role in various areas of transformation, growth, and development that will lead to improved livelihood as well as socio-economic and political development of the Constituencies. The weakness of some political office holders and their ineffectiveness has become challenging to engage in infrastructural development and some other developmental projects that can better the lives of the masses.

“The challenges that we are facing today are not caused by many of the political office holders but by bad teammates around them that find it difficult to call a spade a spade all because of what to eat. The category of such teams are the factors responsible for bad governance of some political offices. This challenges doesn’t come from political teammates alone, it includes few leaders who doesn’t care about the masses but their pocket, some of our traditional rulers such as Kings, Baales, Market Executives, Union leaders who believe in fat envelope from an aspiring during their visit for meeting on declaration of interest are also part of the challenges.

“I believe the government of a democracy is accountable to the people and not to few leaders alone. Ifo local government leaders are fully blessed with knowledge and understanding to come up with a better candidate without sentiment while few from other corridor await aspirants to worship them before any favour can come out from their desks. The bad attitude from the few numbers are really affecting many people who are aspiring to contest for offices with good intentions. Am 100% sure that we have many capable and well respected leaders among the Apex team, many who are reserved and believe in development struggle of our zones, please never allow the few who believe in money to reformat your goodwill, focus and positive plans to hijack the leadership structure from your circle.

“Traditional rulers and community leaders with market executives and union leaders who are suppose to position themselves as tools for protest if any political office holders doesn’t meet up to his or her promises according to the manifestos are not available because of their involvement at the initial stages by selling their prestige and value in exchange of cash. Can we now see that we are part of the problem facing us. Our traditional rulers, community leaders and union leaders doesn’t care to demand for a copy of aspirant manifestos anymore but a brown or white envelopes.

“Power depends on the wishes of political leaders and there is no way the activities and projects that needed to be done with public funds will not be diverted for personal use in the case where leaders has drained and empty the treasury of a candidate before getting to the office to serve his people. Good governance is a product of leaders that freely choose who will represent the party and masses in offices and not by imposing someone all because of personal benefits that goes against masses benefits.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish, At the end of the tenure, no actualization of the vision and no regrets for the failure, no review and no direction. Yet, such a non-performing political office holders often aspires to continue in office even after his tenure has expired because he believes with fat envelopes for the leaders of all categories the tickets is very sure. Don’t quote me wrong am not against any political office holders willing to rerun for his office, nothing wrong about that but in a situation where it is very open to the leaders that such person didn’t perform to the party expectations and the masses satisfaction, such a person shouldn’t be encouraged for the race by political leaders or any traditional rulers and community leaders no matter how fat the envelope from such office holders.

“A sensitized political leaders, traditional rulers and community leaders are likely to take development visions more seriously and will insist on their good implementation. A sensitised party members should be bold enough to hold the political leaders accountable to development promises made by the candidate presented to the party members and the general public while masses should also hold the traditional rulers and community leaders accountable as well. Political leaders, traditional leaders and community leaders are responsible for underdevelopment in Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency and Ifo Local Government Constituencies as a whole.

“This time around we should all be ready to make a demand from Political leaders and community rulers/leaders of Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency and Ifo Local Government Constituencies to support the party members by presenting a candidate with development vision, it doesn’t really matter either such candidate has occupied the position before or not but what matter most is for leaders to deeply screen all candidates and come up with the best regardless of familiarity and materials things. If the person in office wish to rerun there is nothing wrong as far is not against the party constitution but should be question within the leaders circle on his previous achievements base on the promises made to the party and the general public. If meet up to an expectation of the party and masses, not due to his payroll portfolio to the leaders or any traditional and community leaders but with his good works. If not, change to someone with ability to deliver and make the party proud and masses happy. Whosoever that take over the mantle will surely continue in taken care of the leaders because leaders can’t be sideline from having their reasonable Obi Agba. ( Elders Colanut )

“Good governance should be the aims and objectives to all stakeholders of different categories. If there is candidate performing very well why can’t we give our full support but in the absence of good performances from any political office holders and no positive trace records attached in terms of development, nothing should stop us in making a better change all in the name of better performance that is very important to every one of us.

“The major area where some categories of leaders are responsible for the challenges that we are facing in Ifo/Ewekoro Constituency and Ifo LG Constituencies as a whole, is where the leaders will endorse someone that is not up to tasks or who has totally failed us in the past all because of material things. Political leaders and traditional rulers/leaders of Ifo/Ewekoro Constituency and Ifo Local Constituencies, come 2023 we are pleading to you all, all we need from you all is your sincerity in coming up with trustworthy and capable candidates who can make us proud of having set of Political leaders like you.

“Until when political leaders start seeing politics as an activity and not business as usual that is when we can get a positive results from our political office holders in the area of good performances. The irony of political situation in the country today is that those who have the will and spirit to elevate the masses from the misery of underdevelopment do not have the leaders support while those who have leaders support do not have development will. Lack of transparency in the party nomination process and financial resources with Godfatherism are the major element that is driving some genuine people back from engaging in politics today. Until we sensitize both electorates and politicians from money politics, we are going to remain on the same spot of no developmental projects.

“Leadership at all levels should maintain open door policy so that people can be treated freely. If this can be done, Leadership will no longer be regarded as a Ministry of Offence but a Ministry of directing, planning and coordinating of all activities which will result in the actualization of set objectives for the benefit of the people.

“GOOD GOVERNANCE IS OUR RIGHT, NO ONE CAN DASH US OUR RIGHT.

“GREAT LEADERS, GREAT PEOPLE, MONEY POLITICS KILLS DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECTS. CHOSE WISELY COME 2023.”