ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – Former presidential candidates in the past elections have thrown their full weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari, in his anti-corruption campaign in the country.
The ex presidential candidates demanded that the on-going battle against economic crimes must be fought to a logical conclusion with all culprits no matter how influential brought to book in order to open a genuine development order for the nation.
In a strongly worded letter to President Buhari made available to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, the former presidential candidates operating under “Coalition of Progressive Presidential Candidates of Nigeria (CPPCN) canvassed for total support of Nigerians and stakeholders to make the corruption battle a huge success.
In a letter dated December 23, 2015 and signed by their National Coordinator, Chief Ambrose Albert Owuru, the ex-presidential candidates canvassed for the evolution of a new Police and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC in order to inject a new lease of life into the war against economic crimes.
Specifically, they canvassed that fresh graduates in relevant courses be enlisted into the Police and EFCC and be given special training that would make them take over gradually from the present crop of officers and men in the Police and EFCC.
The letter is titled: “War Against Corruption; Our call for a National Re-Orientation and regime to promote Nigeria’s needed Ethical Revolution, a new EFCC and Police”.
The letter read in part: “This is to join all well-meaning Nigerians, home and abroad and lovers of democracy all over the world in congratulating you on your well deserved victory in the last election in Nigeria and celebrating the new political order as ushered in following the keenly contested Presidential Election and the bravery and untiring efforts of all citizens of Nigeria in ensuring an orderly and peaceful Presidential Elections and other categories of elections in Nigeria.
“Today we are happy we gave support and stood firm in supporting a new order and a new Nigeria in alliance with your then leading opposition party (APC)’s agenda for “Change” as against the then state sponsored blackmail, intimidation and coercion against the progressive forces and elements as we represented.
“Indeed we are relieved and happy that change has come and a new Nigeria is in the offing and in sight and it is on this background that we make bold to fully associate ourselves with your government’s policy on war against corruption and other sundry ethical malaise in which the people of Nigeria have been inflicted with over the years of locust and wasteful governance as represented by the past government.
“To bring this new order to quick and full realisation, involvement and commitment of all Nigerians as a national ethos and a way of life, we suggest the institution and promotion of an ethical revolution akin to the war against indiscipline (WAI) of the 1980s which is well-known signature and legacy.
“This we believe will deeply entrench the culture and civility and orderly way of life, now lacking in Nigeria and giving rise rather to the culture of corruption and wastefulness.
“We give total support to your efforts and determination to recover looted funds and bring to book culprits and those linked to such”.
“To further compliment this effort and policy, where considered and put to use, a new Police Force and new EFCC must necessarily be put in place as we suggest the temporary use of recommended and qualified graduates fresh from the NYSC and interim use of well-trained Civil Defence officials that will give way as soon as a new police force is put in place as the rot in the present system is deeper than imagined”.
“This will ensure and engender a new Nigeria of our dream. We urged haste in this direction to avoid any relapse to the old ways and business as usual.
“The culture of corruption which has destroyed and ravaged the very fabric of this great country Nigeria must be fought from all sides to uproot and dislodge this very shameful malaise that has destroyed all we hold dear as a country and stunted our growth into nationhood”.
The ex-presidential candidates claimed that the campaigned and debated on good governance and that they will be eternally grateful to see them come to fruition under Buhari’s watch.