Nigerian politicians are selfish, greedy and reckless - Former INEC Chairman

Immediate past chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega has accused some politicians in Nigeria of being a criminal with no remorse.

He noted that greed, selfishness and recklessness have engulfed most politicians, hence the need to restructure.

“We have a lot to do; and the first thing to do is to get it right by securing the mindset of our politicians from selfishness, greed and reckless banditry. Actually, many of them are also bandits, not just those who stand by the roadside with AK 47.

Prof Jega disclosed that government appointees who steal from the State's coffers cause several citizens into abject poverty. Adding that even school children are being denied access to proper education.

He blamed the inability of the military to fight bandits efficiently on the irresponsibility and greediness of some politicians.

"To steal recklessly from government’s coffers and turn hundreds, if not millions of people into poverty, deny children the opportunity to go to school because they have stolen the money that would have gone into education or was supposed to buy arms and ammunition for the military, to the extent that they can no longer fight banditry, that is banditry itself," he said this in an interview with Daily Trust.