Chief Emeka Agba, a business mogul and presidential aspirant under the platform of Young Progressive Party (YPP) have taken a swipe on the failures of the current Nigeria leadership, stating that what the country need is visionary and purposeful leadership that can build people, industries, create opportunities, and secure the future of generations yet unborn.
Chief Agba lamented that leadership in Nigeria have not done much in the core areas of development, but rather spend humongous amounts of money on road construction, ignoring core developments that should impact the lives of people.
Chief Agba, while speaking to the press on his ambition under YPP to change leadership narrative in the country, further stressed that many of the leaders appear shortsighted with only efforts in laying asphalt on roads to deceive the masses while enriching themselves corruptly.
"Since 1999 till today, from Local Government chairmen to presidents, the only form of development most Nigerian politicians seem to understand is the building of roads and highways.
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"They rarely talk about true human capital development, industrialization, youth empowerment, technological advancement, manufacturing, or quality education. Everything is always about roads," stated Agba.
The YPP presidential hopeful mentioned that after President Muhammadu Buhari's eight years in office, one of the biggest achievements associated with him was the completion of the Second Niger Bridge, a project initiated years earlier under Goodluck Jonathan.
"Today, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu speaks proudly about super highways stretching from Badagry to Sokoto and from Lagos to Calabar, projects reportedly worth trillions of naira. Yet many existing roads across the country have become nearly impassable, not just because of poor maintenance, but because of insecurity caused by bandits and armed herdsmen operating freely across the nation.
"For years I wondered why governments focus almost entirely on roads while neglecting industries, innovation, and productive investments. Recently, I came to a painful conclusion: road construction has become one of the easiest avenues for corruption and the diversion of public funds.
"If leadership was truly visionary, Nigeria should by now, have mega industrial hubs, large-scale agricultural processing zones, manufacturing cities, technology parks, and export-based industries capable of employing millions of youths."
Chief Agba further stressed that a nation cannot develop by importing everything while embarking only on road construction. He said YPP as a visionary party with a mission, will turn things around when it takes over leadership in 2027.
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He asked why leadership in Nigeria cannot attract global manufacturers, build industries that produce tractors, vehicles, electronics, textiles, steel, and machinery, adding that leadership also failed in establishing agricultural processing facilities that would create jobs and reduce crime.
"When young people are gainfully employed, insecurity naturally reduces because people become productive instead of desperate.
"Sadly, many of our leaders appear shortsighted. Leadership is not just about laying asphalt on roads. True leadership is about building people, building industries, creating opportunities, and securing the future of generations yet unborn.
"Nigeria does not just need more roads. Nigeria needs vision, productivity, industrialization, and transformational leadership," Agba concluded.
