NAN-H-26
Change
By Suleiman Shehu
Ibadan, Oct.1, 2016 (NAN) As Nigeria marks its 56th Independence Anniversary, a Rights Group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has called on Nigerians to have a change of attitude and to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
The MURIC Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, made the call in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday in Ibadan.
Akintola said that the President needed the support of Nigerians and prayer to deliver the dividends of democracy.
He said that Nigerians needed to embrace the change phenomenon.
The MURIC director called on the National Assembly in particular, to rise from, what he termed, “their deep slumber’’ and give full support to the war against corruption.
“NASS must put the necessary machinery in motion to ensure speedy trial of corrupt persons.
“We remind Nigerians that the onus today is on the citizens to take the cue from the current transparent leadership.
“We have blamed Nigeria’s woes on bad leadership for a long time and we have never been truly independent as we wobbled and fumbled in the shackles of corruption.
“What is expected of Nigerians as a serious people now that we have a good leader, is that the citizens too should embrace change.
“We must turn a new leaf to liberate ourselves from socio-economic predators and corrupt politicians, who subject us to acute penury by looting our common wealth,’’ he said.
Akintola congratulated Nigerians at home and abroad for witnessing this great day.
He said they had cause to rejoice as they had seen palpable signs of change in spite of the current economic recession.
The MURIC director recounted that more than 11highly-placed politicians and army generals had been arrested and were remanded in prison for corrupt practices.
He said that government’s two initiatives, the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Bank Verification Number (BVN), had helped achieves a higher level of transparency.
“The two initiatives have exposed thousands of ghost workers and forced many looters to abandon their money in commercial banks for fear of being traced and punished,’’ Akintola said. (NAN)
SYS/COF/AJA
===========
(Edited by Oluyinka Fadare and controlled by Adeleye Ajayi)