Former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, and a frontline nationalist, Alhaji Maitama Sule, on Tuesday urged Nigerians to support the Federal Government’s war against corruption.
The duo made the call in Abuja at a seminar organised by the FCT Public Complaints Commission with the theme: “The Role of Public Complaints Commission in a Democratic Nigeria’’.
Gowon said: “Unfortunately, corruption in Nigeria today has become a monstrous monster and a national embarrassment.
“All hands must, therefore, be on deck to arrest and eliminate this monster, individually and collectively.
“The security challenges faced by our country today may not or would not have been if early attention were given to some of the general administrative injustices that may seem to have been allowed to thrive in Nigeria.’’
He stressed the need to re-address cases of general and administrative injustices, saying that Nigeria was going through a process of attitudinal change and national rebirth.
He noted that people blamed poverty as the cause of the present security imbroglio, arguing that poverty could not be an excuse, and that the poor should not be blamed.
Gowon said that the technique of persuasive power or power of persuasion adopted by the commission was to address injustice in the country.
He urged the public to give the commission a chance, adding that the intervention of the commission would change situations for the better.
He, however, called on government and individuals to support the commission, adding that it must function without hindrances.
Also speaking, Sule called on Nigerians to support the government for the peace, unity and development of the country.
“Our attitude must change so that we can achieve our potentials. We should work together by doing justice to people. We have to be disciplined in ensuring fairness in all our deals.
“Development creates job opportunities so, therefore, justice brings development and it is important. Behind every crises, justice is the only weapon to calm crises and corruption,’’ Sule said.?
He advised Nigerians to respect their leaders and elders, adding: “let us be our brothers’ keeper; if you have respect for people, you must be respected within and outside the country’’.?
Sule, however, assured that the dream of the nation must be actualised, adding that Nigeria remained the giant of Africa.
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