‘President can’t eradicate corruption,’ Mike Okonkwo says

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August 9, 2016 3:50 PM

Okonkwo also questioned the anti-corruption war due to the lack of convictions despite the number of people accused of looting public funds since Buhari assumed office.

Mohammadu Buhari

According to the Presiding Bishop of

The cleric made the comments on Sunday, August 7, 2016, during a special service to mark the end of TREM’s 4th annual Leading Edge Conference, Punch reports.

“How many people have been prosecuted since we have been fighting corruption? How many people have gone to jail? If anyone is caught and it is established that he stole, all the money should be taken and we should send him to jail so that they would know that corruption is not attractive,” Okonkwo said

“We want to encourage Nigerians that as bad as it is, we should try to endure it for the moment; because what can anyone do under that situation? I think Nigerians should come to terms with the issue of fighting corruption. I have said it many times that corruption is the name of Nigeria but we are fighting corruption.

“We are corruption; every system, every part of the system. There’s no single area of the system that there’s no corruption. Go to the market, you will see those who are selling fake drugs, tell them to stop, they will say no.

“I think there should be a fresh orientation. Buhari is just scratching corruption. I don’t see him eradicating corruption even if he spends two terms. The only way we can eradicate corruption in this country is to begin fresh re-orientation. In fact, we should go to kindergarten to begin to create a new crop of Nigerians who would think patriotism.

“We have celebrated thieves, we have celebrated bandits and robbers and we have told young people that hard labour is not useful. Steal money and then you will be celebrated. That’s what they had been taught, young people are not willing to go to school even those who go to school are into this corruption issue.

“All hands must be on deck, not what the government can do alone. We should accept that corruption has brought us to our knees. Tourism alone can be more productive. We didn’t look at that. During our prosperous days, we misused our earnings that we could have used to develop other economy. We have been brought to our knees. We should stop pointing fingers. The issue is not political party issue,” he added.

ALSO READ: There is no corruption-free country - Fashola

The Buhari administration has made the fight against corruption in Nigeria its main focus.

According to Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, the Buhari administration recovered a total looted sum of N78 billion from May 29, 2015 to May 25, 2016.

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