Nigeria Probes into $25 billion oil contract; "Pot calling kettle black"

The recent NNPC leak by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr Kachukwu which has provoked headlines around the world has now exposed our government for what it is: "Pot calling the kettle black". This is a wake up call.

The picture now emerging is not good for our democracy. This is another dangerous exploitation of natural resources by 'Kleptocratic despots and Pseudo-democrats' we rely on. The truth is that these people don't care about ordinary people.

Our education system is collapsed, no solid plans for innovation and enterprise. No electricity and internet infrastructure to help create the jobs of the future, ordinary think that facebook is the internet. Facebook is not the internet. No good health care services, rather they fly overseas at the slightest symptom of headache and feed ordinary people with false information that things will soon get better.

Our governments at various levels have failed to honour their primary duty of care to the nation. Non -compliance with due process in the award of contracts is gross corruption, unbefitting of a government that rode to power to fight corruption. The Minister of State for Peteroleum says he only reads about the activities of his department on the pages of the newspapers, yet no official  condemnation/ action by the state.

This is not a good fit for our democracy.  Fair democracy requires that each citizen has not just a vote but a voice. This is my view.

Uche Okeke.