konknaijagirl | On 07, Mar 2013

 

Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), Nigeria’s former millitary Head of State from 1983 to 1985 who also ran unsuccessfully for the office of the President of Nigeria in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections gave a public address on Monday night in London.

Buhari the brain behind the now devolved nationwide campaign called “War Against Indiscipline” (“WAI”) campaign aimed at tackling the most anti-social Nigerian characteristics such as indiscipline, corruption, and lack of environmental sanitation in 1983.

Buhari Was Chairman Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in 1978 and
Federal Commissioner for Petroleumw from 1976 – 1978 and he also Serves asGovernor of North-Eastern States from 1975 – 1976 .

In his keynote address on monday he said the fight against corruption in Nigeria was beyond the capacity of any government because the scourge was deeply rooted in the nation.

Speaking at the 4th British-African Diaspora Conference on Stable Democracy and Nigeria’s Economy, held at the British House of Parliament, he said corruption still remained the old and ever present devil that had eaten into all facets of life in the country.

“Until serious efforts are made to tackle corruption, which is beyond the capacity of the government, economic growth and stability will continue to elude us.”

Emphasising the need for the cooperation of all Nigerians, he quoted the Chairman of one of the bodies responsible for the task of fighting corruption in Nigeria, Mr. Ekpo Nta of the ICPC, in a recent interview as saying that “there is no political will to fight corruption in Nigeria.”

He stressed the need for all hands to be on deck in a collective fight to eliminate the scourge and indicated that Nigeria had the capacity to emerge as an economically competitive nation.

Emphasising; he said “democracy” cannot function optimally without a certain level of economic attainment”

He also spoke on a wide range of issues from state creation to zoning system, while expressing concern over INEC, and the 2015 general elections.

According to him, the present leadership of the electoral body is incapable of delivering a fair election, as it had a cosy relationship with the executive and the judiciary.

He said: “INEC requires a group of independent minded people, patriotic and incorruptible, who have the courage and the capacity to handle such a strenuous assignment of conducting elections in Nigeria.”

Speaking on poverty and wealth creation, he explained there was no short cut to poverty eradication than to get people to work and earn money.