Transparency group charges President Buhari on national unity

A transparency group, Vanguard For Transparent Leadership and Democracy (VATLAD) has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency and importance constitute a cabinet of national unity (CNU) to right all the wrongs that has bedeviled the nation.

In a happy new message released by the group in Asaba to Journalists, Tuesday, on the directive and on behalf of its national President, Comrade Emmanuel Igbini, noted that the way to be emancipated from the economic and social-political crisis ravaging the nation, since the enthronement of Democratic system after Independence in 1960, is the constitution of government of National Unity both at the state, local and federal levels.

The message which is titled “State Of The Nation: A Call On President Buhari To Form Cabinet Of National Unity (CNU)”, opined that though it is a fact that President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are not the cause of the above mentioned crisis but it is exclusively constitutionally incumbent on them to resolve all the issues having made a pledge during oath of office.

“Having critically examined the causes of the economic & socio-political crises ravaging our nation , Nigeria, since the enthronement of Democratic system after Independence in 1960 we have come to the conclusion that the first and major step to resolving and preventing these crises is for our political leaders to always as deliberate policy, embrace constitution of Executive Councils (Cabinets) of National Unity at Federal, State and local government levels that must comprise only men and women of proven records of patriotism, intergrity & competence from all political parties, ethnicity, religions and professions.

“Such form of Govt is lawful and in line with the aim and objective of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended. We are not in doubt whatsoever that our beloved Nigeria is sadly on a "Life Support" having failed to respond to all economic and socio-political theories so far applied, urgently requires the collective will, patriotism and unconditional sacrifices of all Nigerians irrespective of political, ethnic, professional and religious groupings, to rescue.

“This is also in actualization of the recent call by President Buhari for Nigerians "to think outside the Box" for solution. There can be no better time than now for the President to galvanize and mobilise Nigerians, particularly our leaders of various political, ethnic, religious and professional groups to rise up in obedience to our national pledge to serve and protect our nation, Nigeria." the group stated.

The group while demanding that President Buhari reconstitutes the federal executive council and boards of agencies and parastatals to reflect government of national unity, stressed that this is the time for the President to prove his statesmanship and patriotic antecedents beyond reasonable doubt and warned the president to rise above narrow and partisan party politics to save the nation from total collapse.

According to the group, corruption no doubt is deadlier than terrorism and the common and worst enemy of Nigeria that must be confronted and crushed even as it acknowledged the commitment of the president to winning the war on corruption adding that regretfully the Nation's efforts since 1960 to eradicating corruption have failed and sadly instead breads and increase corruption up til date.

“It is heartbreaking to see over 200 million Nigerians of all political parties, ethnic and religious groups together facing daily threat to their existence and survival. We had sometime last year, proferred well researched solution to winning this war on corruption. We stake our name and integrity on this. We challenge President Buhari and Nigerians to fully implement the simple and cost effective solution contained in our earlier solutions.

“We are confident that if executive councils at federal, state and local government levels reflect Govt of Unity as we propose and the solution to corruption we proffered are urgently implemented to the letter, Nigeria Must Rise Again to reclaim her once enviable leadership position in Africa and a major influence in comity of nations of the world”, the group said.

VATLAD while commending what it called the efforts of President Buhari sacrifices of patriotic officers and men of Nigerian Armed Forces in smoking out the unrepentant terrorist groups ravaging the North- East of the country, admonishing that to sustain the victory all patriotic hands must collectively be brought on deck and called on the terrorists to embrace peace.