The vice-presidential candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has raised the alarm over the high level of corruption in the country. He particularly decried what he described as “wanton corruption” in the public service which, he said, was fast becoming the norm. Noting that something needed to be done urgently to check the trend, the former Lagos justice commissioner said Nigeria “cannot continue with this level of corruption.” In a series of messages posted
on his official Twitter page on Thursday, he argued that the APC presidential candidate, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), if voted into office during the February general elections, would reverse the trend.
Osinbajo said, “Our nation is at a point where corruption is almost the norm, especially in the public service. It is important to draw the line somewhere because this nation cannot continue with this level of corruption. It is just impossible.
“What is required, first of all, is an administration where people believe that the Number One man will not tolerate corruption. If the Number One man is perceived as a man that will not tolerate corruption, then you have moved light years away from where we are.
“If we don’t do that, frankly, I’m fearful that we may not have much left of a country. Buhari is a man respected for his strong views on corruption. What we need to do today is introduce consequences for corruption.”
Managing the affairs of the country, Osinbajo argued, is not “rocket science;” adding that finding a lasting solution to the epileptic power supply being witnessed across the country is key to setting Nigeria on the path of development.
He said, “At the moment, industry is slow, because we have power problem. The power problem is fundamental. We at the APC have looked at the power problems, and when we are elected, we intend to start work from day one.
“We’re simply going to see what others have done (in successful agricultural countries) and do the same. It’s not rocket science. Let no one tell us it is difficult to run this country. Go to other countries with a tenth of what we have, and they are doing well.”
But the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has asked Nigerians to ignore the APC’s promises of “empty change.”
The National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, said what the opposition party “knows best to do is to rig elections.”
Referring to the allegation by the Department of State Service that the APC planned to hack into the data base of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Muazu urged Nigerians to stop “APC from rigging” the February general elections.
The PDP Chairman tweeted, “Dear Nigerians, I urge you to collect your permanent voter cards at your local INEC offices to stop those pretending to serve you in the name of empty change.
“If the table had turned the other way round in this DSS case, only God knows what they would have done with their propaganda. While we are still dealing with their rigging of Osun election in court, now they want to hack into INEC database and manipulate results.”
While urging young Nigerians to come out en masse to exercise their civic responsibilities on February 14, Muazu claimed that the PDP was the only party that took the affairs of the youth seriously.
“Behold Umar Nasko, the 37-year-old PDP governorship candidate for Niger State. The Youth have a place in our party,” he added.
Meanwhile, a former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, has said that young Nigerians must know that the 2015 elections are about them.
Urging them not to be distracted by religious or ethnic sentiments, the Turakin Adamawa advised youths to focus on “real issues.”
Writing on his Twitter page, Atiku said, “Don’t be distracted by tribe or religion. Focus on issues which matter to you. Politicians who bring up religion and tribe are trying to distract young people from focusing on real issues.
“Don’t be distracted! Young people must exercise their voting power. Ask tough questions, and use your votes to put the right leaders in office. On February 14, the people of Nigeria must vote for the candidate with the experience and will to secure all Nigerians.”
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