….chides ex-governors seeking medical treatment abroad
By Ola Kay
Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC Senatorial Candidate in Delta South, Dr. Austin Orette, on Tuesday pointed out that the collapse of civic consciousness and citizen participation in governance are the key problems bedeviling Nigeria.
Orette stated this in a statement in Owhelogbo, Isoko North Local Government Area.
“For decades, Nigerians have been told that corruption is the nation’s greatest enemy. While corruption has undoubtedly weakened our institutions, I contend that it is only a symptom of a much deeper national crisis: the collapse of civic consciousness and citizen participation in governance,” he noted.
He also urged the current administration to work towards resolving issues bordering on corruption in the country.
“The Nigeria we seek will emerge when citizens stop behaving like spectators and begin to act like stakeholders. Only then will corruption diminish, institutions become stronger, and leadership become truly accountable.”
According to him, Nigeria as a country with myriads of problems had no choice but to begin with civic education, critical thinking, active participation, and the collective determination to build democracy from the ground up—not from the top down.
‘”A democratic nation cannot thrive when its citizens do not understand how the government works or what their constitutional responsibilities are. Democracy was never designed to function as a system where leaders dictate from the top while citizens merely applaud, complain, and wait for miracles. Democracy is built from the ground up. It succeeds only when informed citizens actively hold every level of government accountable. Sadly, that is not the Nigeria we see today,” he stressed.
He also expressed his concern about ignorance and the operation of public officials without scrutiny.
“Millions of Nigerians know the name of the President but have little or no idea who represents them in their Local Government Council or the State House of Assembly. Many cannot identify their councilor, yet these are the officials whose decisions most directly affect their daily lives. Local governments receive monthly allocations from Abuja, but very few citizens ask how those funds are spent. Few understand the constitutional functions of local government, and fewer still demand transparency or measurable results.”
He rebuked public officials who seek medical treatment abroad after spending years in office without building functional healthcare systems at home.
“As a proud son of Delta State, I find it deeply troubling that we continue to celebrate expensive projects while neglecting investments that would generate sustainable economic prosperity. A state blessed with enormous natural and human resources should not still struggle with basic infrastructure like reliable electricity. Perhaps nothing illustrates our leadership crisis more than public officials who seek medical treatment abroad after spending years in office without building functional healthcare systems at home. When leaders refuse to trust the institutions they supervised, they expose the failure of their own stewardship. Even more troubling, is that many of these same individuals seek elective office again—and are often rewarded with another mandat, .” he stated as he advised citizens on democratic responsibilities.
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