Oyebola tasks President on crusade against corruption

THE initiator of Movement for Nigeria’s Total Transformation (MNTT), Chief Areoye Oyebola has called on the Nigeria’s middle class, professional bodies and human rights groups to rise up to fight all those who are bent on stopping the anti corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari .

The Ibadan based social crusader and veteran journalist also urged President Buhari to remain resolute in its avowed commitment to fight corruption, terrorism, and other social vices in the country.

Oyebola , in a statement also called on the President to intensify all necessary measures aimed at eliminating both external money laundering and domestic corruption which had drained huge resources meant for national development for many decades.

While praising Buhari for setting up the anti corruption Committee made up of men of proven integrity, the Iniatiator of MNTT further called on the Committee to cast its net wide and collaborate with other respected and relevant international organisations to produce efficient and effective recommendations.

He maintained that in the task of getting rid of corruption and other social vices in the country, there must be no sacred cows and no scapegoats.

“Hence, this is not the time to allow people of doubtful character and integrity to romance with the President, as they are likely to have hidden agenda. This is also not the time to seek for human face approach in tackling the problem of shameless graft that has inflicted endemic poverty and monumental sufferings on millions of Nigerians”, he said.

Oyebola said he was sad about reports of the crippling amount of Nigeria’s commonwealth already snatched away by the cabal of excessively greedy and callous exploiters, and advised that everything must be done, not only to return the looted commonwealth to Nigeria, but also to bring the looters to book urgently without undue sentiments.

He described the salaries and allowances earned by all categories of public office holders as a sad situation, adding that these outrageous emoluments were many times higher than that earned by public men in the richer countries of Europe, Asia and America.

“Strangely enough, the conservative and lethargy middle class have remained unconcerned with the recent and most ridiculous uproar in the National Assembly where members were protesting against any reduction in their emoluments, which is four and half times the salary of President Barrack Obama, the President of the richest country on earth. Meanwhile, we salute the courage of a few National Assembly members who have openly indicated that they will fight for the reduction of their outrageous salaries and allowances.

“ What manner of country is Nigeria, where professional bodies and human rights groups have refused to openly join the few but courageous National Assembly members and governors who are spear-heading the crusade of untenable emoluments,” Oyebola said.