2023: Be Honest In Your Dealings With Nigerians, Umahi Tells Tinubu, Others

The Governor of Ebonyi State and Chairman, Southeast Governors Forum, David Umahi, has asked his colleagues in the political realm to be honest and transparent in their engagements with Nigerians.

Umahi, who declared his 2023 presidential ambition last week, made this known during his appearance on a programme on Channels Television on Monday.

During the interview, the governor advised politicians and leaders in the country to avoid corruption and treat all Nigerians the same irrespective of religion, ethnicity and age.

He stated that most political leaders enrich themselves and fail to fulfil the promises made to the people. The governor added that these has led to massive corruption in every sector of the country.

Umahi noted that Nigeria can only progress when leaders at all levels engage in self-assessment aimed at stopping corruption that has compromised the systems in the country.

The governor commended President Muhammadu Buhari for fighting corruption in the country and trying to sanitise the system in order for the country to develop.

He said: “So this is kind of engagement that we need to do. So that people we understand that every child is not about money and that every position given to us by God as leaders, God, we ask us for accountability,” he said.

“Well, you know, there’s a saying that everything has life, you know, has the tendency to grow the seed of corruption was sown in this country and it was growing and so you cannot say to what extent it will grow and Corruption is the business of everybody fighting.

“It is the business of everybody. If Mr President, you know, gets his allocation and he has good intention to build a railway to build a road.

“The same thing with insecurity. But what we needed to do as a nation, is to find out what Mr President has done, fighting these evil seeds that were shown in the past and I think that Mr President has done appreciable very, well, in fighting corruption. He has no brother or sister or party man, you know, in fighting corruption and I praise His courage.

“You see, we need to straighten our compromise institution. You cannot tell me that, you know, every National Assembly member, is free of corruption, that every Governor is free of corruption; that the media houses are free of corruption; that the Judiciary is free of corruption.

“So you need to engage and there is only one agenda that you bring to the table. Do we agree to kill corruption and move this country forward? Do we agree to secure a future for our children? This is very important.

“I believe strongly that when you did this kind of engagement and the masses of the nation Nigeria. If they see that you are not corrupt and you are treating everybody with the same template. I think things will begin to move. I believe so strongly.”