The Chairman and spiritual father of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church Worldwide (Ayo Ni O), Most Reverend Samuel Abidoye has cautioned President Goodluck Jonathan and former president Olusegun Obasanjo against heating up the polity through their actions and inactions.
Abidoye, in his New Year message to members of the CSMS Worldwide and Nigerians entitled: ‘Be Hopeful, My Beloved Country,’ advised the duo of Jonathan and Obasanjo to demonstrate maturity in their handling of the political differences between them.
On corruption, he said it would not be enough for the government to just have the various anti-graft agencies without putting them on the proper footing to function effectively.
According to him, ‘lack of insincerity usually demonstrated by the government regarding its much-vaunted anti-corruption crusade had further emboldened the perpetrators of the act to continue in their nefarious and unGodly activities’.
He enjoined the Federal Government to punish corrupt political and public office holders as well as individuals involved in corruption ‘rather than paying lip service to combating the anti-social behaviour’.
His words: “Instances of corruption by government officials and lack of diligent prosecution of those caught in the act by the government tend to send wrong signals to observers about our sincerity in fighting sleaze in government. The Otedola/Farouk Gate, the Oduah Gate, the Maina Gate are some instances that could be mentioned.”
He added:
“Also, what has happened to those accused of robbing the country blind in the oil sector through illegal collection of fuel subsidy? It is not enough to posture about intolerance for corruption; offenders should be prosecuted to drive home the point.The government needs to prove that they deserve our trust before they start another round of electioneering to ask us to vote them back into power.”
The spiritual leader also cautioned the nation’s past and current leaders about their conduct, particularly whenever they disagreed over issues affecting the country.
Apparently referring to the recent face off between Obasanjo and Jonathan, he wondered why the leaders should “wash their dirty linen in public.”
“In terms of governance in general, there needs to be a display of more maturity by our leaders, both in and out of government. Dancing naked in the market place just to prove that one can do so is going too far. A leader is expected to exhibit decorum and behave with certain dignity that will make people to respect them. How can we as civilised people be washing our dirty linen in the public? Having political differences does not need to make us enemies of one another. At least, we can disagree to agree as we have always done.”
The Sun
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