Vituperation has continued to pour in against the list of nominees for the 2012 National Honours Award released by the Federal Government with some Nigerians saying that many of those on the list were undeserving of the award.
Some of the Interest groups who spoke yesterday
say the list was principally made up of politicians and money bags including those said to be of questionable character including those allegedly indicted in the recent oil subsidy scandal.
Business mogul, Mike Adenuga, who is to be conferred with the award of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) tops the list of 149 awardees which also has serving governors, Supreme Court Judges, members of the National Assembly other top politicians and bureaucrats.
Already, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to have a second look at the list which was released on Sunday saying it did not show recognition for hard work and patriotism.
NLC General Secretary, Chris Ufot, told Peoples Daily last night that the union has gone through the list and was surprised that honest, hardworking people were not included. He said the union observed that the list was mostly made up of money bags, politicians and bureaucrats while ordinary Nigerians including activists, who have worked hard, were not recognised
“We have gone through the award list and see that most of persons that will be honoured are money bags, politicians, businessmen and bureaucrats. We are surprised that honest, hardworking and poor Nigerians are not honoured. Activists who have given their contributions are not honoured. We ask President Jonathan to have a second look at the list to ensure who people that work for this country are honoured. Nigerians who are hardworking and those that promote National unity should be honoured”, he said.
Also criticising the list, Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) lamented that the award has lost its sense of honour pointing out that it is no longer given to people who have distinguished themselves in the service of the country but to cronies of those in the corridors of power.
CNPP Chairman, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, who spoke to Peoples Daily last night remarked that many of those on the list were of questionable character saying the entire exercise has been ridiculed
“The award has lost its sense of honour. It is no longer given to people who have distinguished themselves in the service of the country but who serve only the current PDP government. It is now given to people with questionable character, who in one way or the other have cases to answer. So as far as CNPP is concerned, the national honour has lost its sense of honour, which it is known for in the past”, he said.
Also commenting on the list, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) described the composition of the list as “madness” saying the process has been bastardised.
CPC National Publicity Secretary, Rotimi Fashakin, said many of those listed do not merit the award adding that it was the view of his party that their inclusion was an indication that the present administration was decadent adding that that was why most honest Nigerians are now rejecting the awards.
“It is very unfortunate that the nation is being driven so precipitously! There is virtually no method to the madness. The National honours scheme has become bastardized. Little wonder, great Nigerians that have impacted positively on the Nation’s image internationally are shunning these awards. A situation where an indicted oil thief is being honoured with one of the highest medals of state is a firm attestation to the decadent show of shame of the Jonathan regime”, he said.
Also, rejecting the list an organisation of lawyers known as Public Interest Lawyers League (PILL) yesterday described it as a “joke”. In a public statement signed by its President, Abdul Mahmud, PILL said that President Goodluck Jonathan would find it difficult to convince Nigerians on the selection criteria.
The group lamented that instead of honest Nigerians, the list has “discredited entrepreneurs whose stars faded as their enterprises, dubious politicians who fail democracy and the people, puny public servants, with no sense of service or commitment, who make governance what it is in our country today, to the everyday jesters who walk the quarters of political governance.
“Sadly, the 2012 honours list, like others before it, names debtors and thieves as patriots, dubious enterprise moguls as the exemplars of the New Nigerian entrepreneurial utopia”, it added.
The group called on the President to end the “joke”, saying the award was meant for giving recognition to individuals who commit their lives of service to the community.
A press statement by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation signed by Dr. Henry Akpan, Sunday night said government has concluded preparation for the conferment of National Honours Award on