The Presiding Pastor of Livingspring Chapel International, Femi Emmanuel, has expressed concern that well-meaning Nigerians are absent from the spaces where crucial political decisions are made, leaving choices in the hands of individuals influenced by token payments.
Speaking with journalists on Saturday in Ibadan, Oyo State, Emmanuel — a former Deputy Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly — said many Nigerians do not understand how political delegates are selected or how candidates eventually emerge.
According to him, “Good Nigerians are not present where decisions that affect the nation are taken. We are too corporate, too sophisticated to attend ward meetings. If you go there, you will be shocked. People argue and fight over N1,000 sent to them by ‘Baba’, and those same people select the delegates.”
He explained that delegates chosen at the ward level eventually determine who becomes a candidate during party primaries.
“If you don’t control delegates, you can’t produce candidates. Everything begins from the ward level, but many Nigerians do not pay attention to that. This is why I am urging citizens to take their future into their own hands,” he added.
On governance, Emmanuel advocated a return to regional government, stressing that Nigeria’s challenges would reduce significantly if the country restructures.
“Our problems would be 90 per cent solved if we return to regional government. Without that, the issues will persist and may even worsen,” he said.
