Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, spokesperson for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), has alleged that some public office holders and appointees of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that were recently sworn in are after public funds.
According to him, with the way some of them conducted their campaigns in the last general elections and the lots of money spent, one will know the only reason they are skimming to get into public offices is to steal public funds.
“It is not to serve but to steal public funds. Those people must be stopped and the only way they can be stopped is if President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima genuinely live above board, they must not be corrupt, and they must not tolerate corruption,” Baba-Ahmed said during a media chat with Vanguard.
The NEF spokesperson who spoke on his hopes in the incumbent government, said he hoped that the President will get competent and trustworthy people into key positions.
Baba-Ahmed stressed that Nigeria at the moment needs good people in key offices for the best interest of the country and its citizens.
“I hope that Tinubu will find good and competent Nigerians. Two, they will have excellent records of achievements in their different areas of life and a high level of personal integrity. Integrity is absolutely vital here and I will place it first. He should not appoint anybody with the slightest hint of corruption. Fighting corruption must be prioritised above everything,” the NEF chieftain said.
He added: “That is very important because we need good people to help run this country. I mean real good people, not just politicians who are being rewarded for doing one thing or the other during the electioneering period. We want the best for Nigerians. A nation of 200 million people, Nigerians are among the best brains in the world and they are willing to serve this country and pull it from the precipice where we stand.
I hope President Tinubu will find those people and he should thrust responsibility on them and also hold them responsible. I hope he will find these people because corruption has to be fought to a standstill. It is eating the heart of this country. Corruption is responsible for all the insecurity that you find around, at the bottom of it, you will find corruption. It is responsible for the recession in the economy, it is responsible for the lack of faith of the citizen in government and their leaders. It is responsible for the moral corruption we see among our youth.”
According to him, it is corruption that is destroying Nigeria and unless there is a priority in the fight against corruption, nothing will ever be done better.
He added: “Because for every Naira you put on the table, 90 kobos of it will be stolen by the people you put in charge of it. So, Tinubu appointees must be able to fight corruption and fight it well without becoming victims of corruption.
“We have people who have just been sworn in weeks ago. From the way they conducted their campaigns and the lots of money spent, you will know the only reason they are skimming to get into public offices. It is not to serve but to steal public funds. Those people must be stopped and the only way they can be stopped is if President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima genuinely live above board, they must not be corrupt and they must not tolerate corruption. They must be surrounded by people whose only desire to be in office is to serve. He needs good people and good ideas. No doubt these are in abundance in the country. Let him take his time, look for them, and less attention to politics. Tinubu should emphasis competence over politics and integrity over political patronage. I am not sure Nigeria can stand another eight years of poor governance,” Baba-Ahmed warned, noting that public office is not for corrupt people.
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