The National Publicity Secretary, Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, says Nigeria cannot develop if the political leaders continue in their bids to breach the constitution.
Okechukwu made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday.
He said, “We cannot develop under the system in which the ruling party is running the country, because the economic policy of the party is not in tandem with the 1999 constitution.
“The economic policy of the ruling party is in conflict with the fundamental objectives and directive principle of state policy, which is the social contract between the leaders and the led.”
Okechukwu explained that section 16(2) of the 1999 Constitution provides that the economic system should not be operated in such a way to concentrate wealth in the hands of few individuals.
“The primary responsibility of any government is to provide security for the people and ensure their welfare.
“However, the Peoples Democratic Party-led government has abandoned these primary responsibilities of security and welfare of the Nigerian people,” he said.
Okechukwu said that Nigeria could not achieve meaningful development, if the welfare of the people were not guaranteed.
“How can the country develop when in the 2013 budget, the agriculture sector is to receive only N81 billion and this sector employs over 70 percent of the people?” he said.
According to him, most Nigerians are living on deficit while a lot of people are hungry.
“These were some of the reasons why there were crises in the country,” the CNPP's spokesman said.
Okechukwu, however, said that Nigeria could advance, “if the leaders abide by the dictates of the constitution which is a compendium of social contract.”
