Southeast stakeholders drum support for Buhari’s fight against corruption

By Chris Njoku, Owerri

Participants at the just concluded Southeast zonal town hall meeting with Country Review Mission (CRM) for validation of country self-assessment report (CSAR) on the ongoing second peer review of the Federal Government have called on Nigerians to queue behind President Muhammadu Buhari in his fight against corruption.

Noting that corruption had eaten deep into the fabric of the society, the stakeholders lamented that it had equally set the nation 10 years backward, adding that corruption was the primary cause of violence protests  witnessed across the country.

Speaking at the one day stakeholders meeting held in Owerri, the Imo State capital, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman in Imo, Prince Marcellinus Nlemigbo, urged Nigerians to support President Buhari to sustain his fight against corruption.

“Nigerians must support President Buhari to sustain the fight against corruption because some people have so enmeshed themselves in corruption that they are richer than the state. The problem of this country is corruption; we cannot achieve anything with corruption. We should check the level officers, politicians are looting the treasury of the country if we are to succeed, “he stated.

In the same vein, the traditional ruler of Ihim Autonomous Community, Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of the state and Vice Chairman, Christians Association of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, HRH Eze Oliver Ohanwe, blamed politicians in the country for creating a huge gap between the rich and poor and pleaded that such gap be narrowed.

In a her welcome address, the CEO, African Union Development Agency/New Partnership for Africa’s Development, Princess Gloria Akobundu said that African Peer Review Mechanism(APRM) process was designed to assist participating countries to develop and promote the adoption of laws, policies and practices that leads to political stability, high rates of economic growth, sustainable development and continental economic integration.

Speaking later, the State Governor Hope Uzodimma represented by the Deputy Governor Prof. Placid Njoku noted that quite a number of activities had taken place which have contributed for ensuring that Nigeria actually meets some standard of APRM.