Buhari, start your anti-corruption crusade in APC

It is no more news that the ultimate mission of President Muhammadu Buhari is to combat and eradicate corruption, which has kept dragging Nigeria backwards over the years.

Nigerians have entrusted all hopes in Buhari by casting their votes for to become President. The international community has also expressed confidence in Buhari and therefore it suffices to say that he may be the ‘messiah’ Nigeria has been waiting for.

It is a truism that change is inevitable in Nigeria as a nation. Corruption is a disease which should be cured lest it kills the country. President Buhari, as we know, has assumed the office of the chief fighter against corruption. Can he succeed in combating corruption? Can he, after the fight, defeat corruption and restore transparency?

Before giving answer to these salient questions, it is worthy to note that appearance differs from reality. The All Progressives Congress and Buhari want us to believe they are not corrupt. But we know that actions speaks louder than words. One should not take mere verbal expressions as fact; rather one should believe in actions. So it will be dangerous to believe in the flowery words of Buhari and the APC without considering their actions.

Microscopically, looking at the APC, it is crystal clear that it is a political party comprising past and present looters, who are now professing to be “born-again”, hiding under the shed of “change”. With this, one can say the APC may only be claiming to be sanctimonious and cajoling the good people of Nigeria at the expense of national development. Having known that the APC was formed and sponsored by past and present leaders of the country, who are known not to have ‘clean hands’ (though, there are transparent ones among them, but they are few) we can then have doubts about the possibility of success of Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade.

Without much imagination, it is apparent that Buhari is a product of the APC. He was the choice of the party. If the same man who came from the midst of suspected looters is the one battling corruption, he should first of all, fight corruption in his party. It is an indisputable fact that the APC has some members that have misappropriated and stolen public funds, leaving the citizen wallow in abject poverty. Buhari should jail them quickly before jailing others.

If Buhari decides not to probe them, in the name of party loyalty, he will not succeed in the fight against corruption; rather he would be promoting corruption. Charity, they say, begins at home. So probing should also begin at Buhari’s political home.

Frankly speaking, it will not be easy for Buhari to fight the corrupt fellows in the APC because many of them were his backbone during electioneering campaigns. They have sponsored and supported the party so that their “sins” would be pardoned. No way! No sinner should go unpunished. It would be leadership by example if Buhari starts the anti-corruption crusade with APC leaders and members, who have embezzled public funds. But it won’t be easy for him because he may not want to bite the fingers that fed him.

Fulfilling electoral promises is another issue Buhari must take seriously. “Eni to ba paro ma jale; one who lies will surely steal”. Buhari made a thousand and one electoral promises and he must do his best to fulfil them.

Denial of promises made during electioneering campaigns amounts to lying. When such happens it subtracts from the integrity of the person involved. Therefore, if Buhari is to successfully fight corruption, he must avoid unnecessary lies or misrepresentation of facts between him and his handlers.

Biblically, s sinful person(s) can never cast away demons. So, team of corrupt men cannot cast away political demons. Buhari can only successfully fight corruption if the above are well taken care of. I’m looking forward to seeing Buhari cut off the kleptomaniac fingers that have been pilfering from our national treasury. I pray for his success.