Femi Adesina, the former Special Adviser to late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has called on Nigerian leaders to walk the talk.
Most of the Nigerian youths, according to Adesina, are frustrated because they are not able to secure good jobs or enjoy better quality of life.
This was disclosed by the former presidential aide at the annual public lecture of the Foursquare Gospel Church, Aba Ibeji, Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State, it was gathered.
“Nigeria is being held back by poor leadership and corruption,” he said.
For him, “Nigeria has everything it needs to move forward, a large youthful population, rich natural resources, fertile land, a good geographical location.
“It’s corruption and bad leadership that is holding Nigeria back. “Nigeria is endowed with human and natural resources but unfortunately, it has not translated to wealth.
He said the promises made by past and present leaders of the country have not been fulfilled and he has called on present leaders to turn their words into action so that citizens will benefit from the resources of the country.
Meanwhile, Solomon Dalung, a former Minister of Youth and Sports under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, has also condemned the Presidency for defending the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, over allegations involving Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew.
Dalung said the official response by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, failed to answer critical questions on how a supposedly fictitious presidential agency operated within government circles.
He said while the Presidency sought to exonerate Gbajabiamila, its explanation revealed gaping holes in government oversight.
“It is up to the Presidency to explain how an individual was able to allegedly forge an appointment letter, operate from the Federal Secretariat, recruit personnel, engage government institutions, meet diplomats and reportedly obtain a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) account without being detected,” he said.
He also questioned reports that the alleged agency was in the national budget.
“If the council was fake how did it make it into the budget,” Dalung said.
He said budget proposals go through several levels of executive and legislative scrutiny before getting approval and asked who presented, processed and approved the alleged provision.
Dalung also queried how the office space was allegedly obtained at the Federal Secretariat, who gave the approval for the allocation of the space and why the operation was not discovered earlier.
He also dismissed reports of the death of Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, who investigators said was identified by Adeyemi as the one who helped procure the alleged forged appointment letter.
Dalung asked if investigators had performed an autopsy, coroner’s inquest or forensic review of Tanimola’s communications and financial records.
Dalung, however, said while the allegations against Adeyemi were before the court, accountability should not end with the prosecution of one person.
He said the government must explain how its institutions either interacted or failed to detect what the presidency now describes as a fictitious agency.
Dalung asked the Presidency to furnish documentary evidence, timelines and official records on the inclusion of the alleged agency in the national budget, its operations within the Federal Secretariat and the failure of institutional safeguards.