The Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has said that politics is not a dirty game.
According to Ganduje, people often see politics as a dirty game but added that it is not.
“Politics is not a dirty game,” Ganduje said at the public presentation of a book titled, “Unfinished Greatness Envisioning A New Nigeria,” written by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, John Kayode Fayemi held at the NAF Conference Centre Kado Abuja.
Ganduje who encouraged intellectuals to join politics, said it is the only way Nigeria can move forward.
“We are witnessing intellectualism in governance and intellectualism in politics. There is no doubt, this is a welcome development. It is good for intellectuals to take a role in politics because they analised and lead the people because there is always conflicting variables,” Ganduje said of Fayemi.
“In Nigeria, intellectuals are afraid of governance because they see politics as a dirty game. But Politics is not a dirty game. There is a connection between intellectualism and governance,”Ganduje said.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the vision of the founding fathers of Nigeria has not been realised.
According to Buhari, more intellectuals are needed in governance for a better Nigeria.
Buhari who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, said he has a high regard for Dr Fayemi because of his intellectual works that are helping in building the country.
“The vision of our founding fathers has not been realised,” Buhari said adding that it was the reason the book should be read.
“The book will help in the governance of the country,” Buhari said adding that Fayemi was his minister and a trail blazer, haven transformed the solid mineral industry.
“Fayemi was part of the team that help bring me to power and he was part of the transition government.
“Sometimes, academics are not feet in governance. And as the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has said, too much analysis can lead to paralysis.
“So, governance should be a combination of people of intellectuals and people that are experienced in governance. That makes the country to move forward. We need a combination of experience people and the academia who identify the needs of the society.
“Mr President is of the view that the more we have people of experience, the more people can get it better,” Gambari said.
The keynote speaker who is a Senior Programme Staff, South Asia Institute, Prof Adebayo Olukoshi, said Africa has not found the right leadership but added that the people must be determined to have a Singapore, Brazil and become big players in the international system.
“Digging a bid deeper, if we must transformed a nation, we must look at dignity. While character can change a nation, it is dignity that transform a nation. China is a good example,” he said.