Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, has said Nigerians must accept part of the responsibility for the poor leadership they often criticise, arguing that politicians are products of the society from which they emerge.
Ndume made the remarks on Wednesday at the public presentation of Military Transformational Leadership in Action: The Buratai Era, held at the Nigerian Army Conference Centre and Suites, Asokoro, Abuja.
The senator was responding to comments by the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, who had criticised the political class over the politicisation of ethnicity and religion and its impact on Nigeria’s security and governance challenges.
Ndume argued that blaming politicians alone overlooks the role citizens play in determining who emerges as leaders through the democratic process.
“Every blame is on the politician. And I’m a politician, though accidental, or maybe, forced or recruited into it. But I’m a realist. I live with the situation I find myself, and I’m proud of it,” he said.
‘Politics Is About People’
The senator said citizens must recognise their responsibility in a democracy because politicians ultimately emerge from the electorate.
“Politics is people; politics is one way to run democracy, and what is democracy? It’s the government of the people, for the people, and by the people. From all discussions, now the blame goes down to us, and we are your product,” Ndume said.
READ ALSO:FG Launches Academy To Train 32,000 Nigerians In Digital Skills, Certifications
He also linked citizens to the persistence of electoral malpractice, including alleged rigging during elections.
“And by the way, you are to be blamed because even if it is through rigging, it is you people that do the rigging to bring us in. So, if you put us here, we are doing your bidding,” he said.
‘You Put Garbage In, Then Expect Something Good Out’
Ndume urged Nigerians to pay closer attention to the quality of individuals they support and the processes through which political leaders emerge.
He argued that citizens’ choices and conduct are connected to the quality of leadership produced by the political system.
“And God says that he does not bring leaders different from the followers. I think part of this is something that we look at very well, so that you make sure that we have democracy, and when we have democracy, we would have good governance,” he said.
The senator also reflected on his experience in public life, saying he had never visited a police station before entering politics but had subsequently been imprisoned twice.
“I was a senate leader, I was a chief whip recently, I went to prison twice. Before I came into politics, I’ve never gone to police station,” Ndume said.
He called for greater citizen participation in the political process, saying Nigerians who desire better governance must also take responsibility for how leaders emerge.
“You put garbage in, you expect something good out of it? It’s not possible,” he added.