Benue Governor Samuel Ortom has declared Nigeria lacks courageous leaders who can square up to the many evils in the land.
He said as long as leaders are not willing to stick out their necks to speak against the many ills in the country, Nigeria will underdeveloped.
He spoke on Thursday in Abuja on “iInsecurity in Nigeria, Restoring peace, unity and progress” at a lecture organised by the Correspondent Chapel of the FCT Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) to mark the 2021 press week.
The Governor said Nigeria is full of those he described as “lily livered people” masquerading as national and regional leaders.
According to him: “I have learnt from my experience that Nigeria has critical deficit of sustainable leadership. We seem to have a dearth of bold and courageous leaders who will clearly identify with what is good, and loudly tell the nation.
“We have a lot of lily-livered people who masquerade as national and regional leaders in this country but are afraid to speak and advise the Federal Government correctly.
“Many leaders have confided in me that our position on ranching of livestock and Rule of Law to ensure justice, fairness and equity are good, not only for Benue State but for Nigeria as a whole. But they cannot speak publicly to support it.
“Where then are our elder statesmen and women? Where are our political leaders who will speak out loudly instead of whispering in closets on crucial and critical national issues, including an existential challenge such as the herdsmen sack and pogrom of entire villages and communities in Benue State and other parts of the country?”
The Governor alleged kidnapping has become another lucrative business with strong with strong suspicion of connivance with government officials, adding that “the rise in kidnappings of all categories of people across the country is a dangerous trend.
He challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to eschew favouritism and work for the interest of all Nigerians.