[size=18pt]2011 general elections: Fashola calls for national debate[/size]

August 28, 2010 11:56PM



As the nation prepares for the 2011 general elections to usher in the Fifth Republic, the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, has advocated for national debates among people aspiring to lead at all levels of the society, to ensure the emergence of the right calibre of leadership.

Mr. Fashola, who stated this at the Muson Centre, venue of the public presentation of ‘Diary of a Debacle: Tracking Nigeria's Failed Democratic Transition (1989-1994)', a book written by Olatunji Dare, said such a culture of debates was necessary to identify those to be entrusted with the welfare of the people of Nigeria.

"What is important now is a public debate. We need a public debate at all levels if we must identify those who we will entrust with the leadership of this country; those who are best prepared to provide us with water supply, those who are best prepared to provide us with electricity, and other basic needs", he said.

According to Mr. Fashola, "This debate must start in our universities and in gatherings such as this. We must know which of the candidates is best prepared to meet our needs. These are the things we must do to enthrone democracy and good governance in our land."

Noting that democracy is about the rights of the people to choose those they wish to govern them, Governor Fashola declared, "Democracy does not concern itself with good or bad governance. It does not guarantee whether or not those elected will perform well or deliver good and quality leadership."

Something that he's been saying for a long time, and these so-called nigerian "politicians" are not even in support of this. Isn't debating what politicians love doing?