Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) says he will not abandon governance and chase treasury looters if elected president next year.
Mr Obi stated this on Friday at an event where he unveiled Datti Baba-Ahmed as his running mate in Abuja.
Speaking with journalists after the official presentation of Mr Baba-Ahmed, the former governor pledged not to probe past administrations, saying his priority will be to block loopholes and deny looters access to the treasury.
“As for probing the past government, let me tell you: you see me argue that you can’t close your shop and be chasing thieves,” he stressed. “Those who only look at yesterday and today will miss tomorrow. God did not give us eyes at the back, mine is to look forward.
“If you come into the government today and decide to stop the leakage first, you will get more (funds). I am not going to be part of any form of victimisation or witch-hunt, it won’t happen. Nigerians must live within law and order.
“But I can tell you right away. If you, the principal person, the local government chairman, the governor or the president are not stealing, your family is not, and those around you are not, you will reduce it by 70 per cent,” he asserted.
Mr Obi’s way of fighting corruption is a stark departure from that of President Muhammadu Buhari with a reputation of pardoning alleged corrupt officials once they join the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), allowing the monster to flourish.
Under Mr Buhari, corruption is steadily worsening, according to latest Transparency International, a ranking officials of the regime have consistently oppose.
