Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), has said that none of the three arms of government-executive, legislature and judiciary- will be spared in the fight against corruption, which he described as the root cause of poverty and under-development experienced in the country.
Osinbajo, who spoke Friday during the 2016 convocation ceremony of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Ado Ekiti, stated that the country’s citizens need re-orientation to wipe out corruption that has permeated every institution of government.
He said: “All the institutions of government, I mean the executive, legislature and the judiciary are corrupt. What we need is serious re-orientation”.
He said what is happening in the country, especially the high level of poverty in the system and many other menaces bedeviling the country, are the direct consequences of corruption that has permeated every sector of the economy.
The Vice President, while responding to the request of Governor Ayodele Fayose that Federal Government should include Ekiti Airport project in the 2017 budget said: “Ekiti state deserves an airport but I have discussed what we need in return with his Excellency.
“The Federal government will continue to give support to every project that will fast-track development in each of the states of the federation. We know how important this airport is to Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti ”, he said.
Prof Osinbajo said: “I have great respect for Chief Afe Babalola because of his stand against corruption. Sometimes in 2002, Chief Babalola argued the case for the establishment of Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) where he let the court realized that corruption is the greatest problem of our nation.
“That was why the present federal government is intervening because, if we refused, every facet of the country would fail. We must act fast and deal with the situation as quickly as possible”, he pointed out.
Commending ABUAD for blazing the trail in the academic and other resourceful ventures, Osinbajo advised the graduands to be multi-skilled to be able to compete under the present economic situation.
“You must be trustworthy and honest apart from being skillful and resourceful, to be able to make a great impact in the future ahead of you. You must reflect on the values they have inculcated in you in the institution and be conscious of the fact that Nigeria, your country, must be great and through which this can be achieved with your contributions”, the VP advised.
He said he never had misgivings about Chief Babalola’s competence to run an all-inclusive university, hinging this on the achievement the ABUAD founder made as the Pro Chancellor and Chairman of Council at the University of Lagos.
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