The 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi said the nation has been burdened over the years by a sickening level of corruption at all levels of government.

He said this in a Monday statement as the global community marks the International Anti-Corruption Day.

Obi said corruption must be fought to a standstill for the nation to experience meaningful development.

?Today, the Global community marks a very important day ? International Anti-Corruption Day, which holds a very important lesson for us in Nigeria, considering how our dear nation has been burdened, over the years, by a sickening level of corruption at all levels of government and across the different arms of government,? he said.

The former Anambra governor said he could not agree more with a media report credited to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which boldly stated that corruption has brought Nigeria to its knees economically and socially.

?We are today grappling with a very high debt profile, occasioned by the insatiable hunger for more loans by the government, without a commensurate account of all the previous loans already received and piled up for the next generations.

?There are no visible investments or positive impacts on the economy from these loans, showing that they were likely misappropriated or consumed.

?All these are different manifestations of the endemic corruption eroding our development efforts.

?The anti-graft and anti-corruption agencies must step up their fight against corruption and begin to preoccupy themselves with serious issues of national interest.

?Such corrupt practices like oil theft, budget padding, bribery, collection of large sums of money as bribes for political favors or appointments, and misappropriation of public funds should preoccupy our anti-graft agencies. Those found guilty must face stern justice.

?A day like this provides us the opportunity to search our consciences as leaders and eschew all forms of corrupt practices that pervade every part of our leadership positions. And to us the followers, we must stand against all forms of corruption in our capacities for our national interest,? he said. (Daily Sun)

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