Barely 24 hours after some concerned
Nigerians trooped out en mass in the United Kingdom to support President
Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption fight, their counterparts in the United
States of America have followed suit.
These Nigerians, under the auspices
of Restore Nigeria Coalition (RNC) were spotted in the streets of Washington,
chanting ‘Sai Baba' as they urged the Donald Trump-led government and the
United Nations to support President Buhari in flushing out corruption.
Cosmas Collins, President of RNS,
speaking on behalf of the group, believes Nigeria has made tremendous progress
in the anti-corruption fight as witnessed in the case of embattled Chief
Justice Walter Onnoghen.
“They are sufficing to note that
since 2015, the present administration has initiated measures aimed at reducing
corrupt practices in the conduct of government business at all tiers of
governance. This effort has yielded positive results to the admiration of the
bulk of Nigerians and the consternation of a select few that have benefited
from the rot in the system,” he said.
“Undeterred, the government of
President Muhammadu Buhari has carried on with enthusiasm and a determination
to see that structural defects are fixed to curb the rot in the system for the
betterment of Nigeria as a country.
“You may also wish to note that the
bane of underdevelopment in Nigeria is as a result of the lackadaisical
attitude of previous governments in the fight against corruption that has
resulted in the wanton disregard for accountability and transparency in the
conduct of government businesses and by extension governance in Nigeria.
“Since 2015 when the administration
of President Muhammadu Buhari took over the affairs of the state in Nigeria,
Nigeria has recorded tremendous progress in governance evident in the dividends
of democracy trickling down the ladder.
“However, the present administration
has encountered numerous challenges from individuals and organisations that
have subverted the system through nefarious ways and means all in the quest to
portray the Muhammadu Buhari administration in poor light in an attempt to
pitch the populace against the government to fulfil their personal agenda of
causing unrest and disaffection in the country.
“The recent case of the suspended
Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen who violated the law in declaring his
assets as stipulated by the law has further emphasized the level of rot in the
system.
“A particular segment of the
Nigerian society has cried wolf where none exist and painted a picture of
political persecution, forgetting that Nigeria was on the brinks of imminent
collapse due the activities of a few that have benefitted from the rot in the
system.
“We are through this medium
soliciting for assistance from the United States and United Nation in the war
against corruption in Nigeria as initiated by the administration of President
Muhammadu Buhari in recent times.
“A vivid example can be seen in the
instance where the Chief Judicial Official in Nigeria, either by omission or
commission failed to declare a part of his assets running into millions of
dollars.
“The Chief Justice of Nigeria as the
number one judicial officer in the country for inexplicable reasons did not
declare a part of his assets before the Code of Conduct Bureau in Nigeria. The
CJN cited “forgetfulness and mistake” as the reasons for the
non-declaration.
“The non-declared items are bank
accounts with balances that runs into millions of pounds sterling and
dollars. This is too much to be right in our considered opinion. As the
number one judicial officer in the country, it is wholly untenable for such an
excuse, unless for deliberate reasons.”
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