Ex-Senate Leader Ndoma-Egba Slams Nigeria’s Political Class: “We’ve Traded Modesty for Vanity"
- Former Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba has lamented the decline of Nigeria’s political culture
- Speaking on The Exchange podcast, he contrasted the humility of past leaders like Tafawa Balewa with today’s opulence
- Ndoma-Egba also reflected on systemic inefficiency, citing his experience at the NDDC and calling for a return to the governance values
Abuja, FCT - Former Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba has lamented that Nigeria’s political culture has shifted from the era of modest service exemplified by the nation’s founding fathers to a period marked by wealth, opulence and unchecked authority.
Speaking on The Exchange podcast hosted by Femi Soneye, Ndoma-Egba said the contrast between the humble mud house of former Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa and the luxury of today’s public officials symbolised the loss of a governance “environment” grounded in service and accountability.
Source: UGC
Ndoma-Egba speaks on Nigeria's economy
The lawyer and former senator, who is now nearing 70, reflected on his firsthand experience of Nigeria’s journey, from independence through civil war and years of military rule. He recalled an era when Nigeria’s economy was reportedly among the fastest growing globally, and the challenge was not generating revenue but deciding how to spend it.
Ndoma-Egba attributed the erosion of institutional strength to cultural factors, particularly excessive deference to authority.
“We have become very timid about holding authority to account,” he said, arguing that such attitudes have turned leaders into untouchable figures.
Ndoma-Egba speaks on cost of governance
Recounting his early political career, Ndoma-Egba said he became a commissioner at just 26, when state cabinets had fewer than ten members. While acknowledging the debate about Nigeria’s bloated cost of governance, he cautioned that “austerity taken to the extreme can undermine efficiency.”
At the time, he said, he managed responsibilities equivalent to more than a dozen modern ministries.
Ndoma-Egba uses NDDC as a case study in failure
The former lawmaker cited his tenure as chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as evidence of systemic dysfunction.
According to him, a comprehensive master plan for the oil-rich region, drawn up through broad consultation, was abandoned due to "convenience and political pressure.”
He described an entrenched bureaucracy where payments required 62 steps, an arrangement he argued inevitably breeds inefficiency and corruption.
“Corruption is an opportunistic situation. It flourishes in dysfunctional systems," the former Senate leader.
Ndoma-Egba defends NASS
Ndoma-Egba also defended the National Assembly, referencing the 2003 “furniture allowance” controversy. He said the legislature had rejected a proposed N12 million allowance in favour of N3 million, but public outrage persisted due to mistrust and impatience.
“The legislature is often seen as an irritant,” he said, despite efforts to reduce costs.
Looking ahead, Ndoma-Egba said he hopes for a “secure and prosperous Nigeria” for his grandchildren, recalling safer times when night travel posed no threat and Kano boasted over 50 textile factories.
Speaking on Cross River state where he hails from, he described the post-Donald Duke era as one of “experimentation,” lamenting that “those experiments haven’t worked.” He urged the current administration to return to traditional governance structures that once brought stability.
I might have become a Catholic - Ndoma-Egba
Concluding on a personal note, Ndoma-Egba said he might have become a Catholic priest or journalist had he not gone into law and politics.
He added a lighter detail about his daily routine:
“I eat pounded yam every single day I am in Nigeria,” he said with a laugh.
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