As Nigeria celebrates her 58th independence anniversary, the National Association of University Students (NAUS) has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to give a gift of good governance and commitment to the war against corruption to Nigerians.

Deputy Secretary-General of the association, Comrade Ogochukwu Isioma, gave the charge during an Independence Day chat with newsmen in Asaba on Monday.

Ogochukwu lamented the inability of the present-day Nigeria to attain the dreams of the fore-fathers and urged the President to fasten his seatbelt and make a difference.

He expressed dismay over what he described as pervasive corruption which has eaten deep into every fabric of the country’s institutions and further challenged the President to take deliberate steps to check the menace.

According to him, “At 58, we are far from reaching the dreams of our ancestors. Although there are some significant improvements in the Nigeria of today, the journey to greatness is still very far. Majority of our leaders are ultra-corrupt. Corruption is Nigeria’s single, most formidable problem and must be confronted with the seriousness it deserves. Good governance remains a mirage in our country. President Buhari must act fast before it is dark. We want to see corrupt public officers disgraced out of office and jailed in Nigeria. We want to see anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria sanitised. Corruption is at the center of all Nigeria’s woes. Nobody should be shielded. There should be no sacred cow. The legal framework against corruption should be strengthened. Only a holistic war against corruption will take us forward.”

While charging the President on the need for peaceful and credible elections in 2019, Ogochukwu urged him to ensure that only credible persons are appointed into leadership positions in the country.

He warned against any attempt to destroy the country’s democracy by those he described as enemies of the country and charged all Nigerians to be vigilant.

“It is noteworthy that this year’s celebration coincides with activities leading to the 2019 general elections. We call on the political stakeholders to play their roles according to the rules of the game and abide by the wishes of the people. We must learn to shun individual interest-based politics and allow our common overall interest take the upper hand in our collective decisions,” Ogochukwu said.

He called on the Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC) and relevant stakeholders to ensure free, fair and credible elections in 2019, “while ensuring that every citizen who has registered for their PVCs, applied for replacement, change of polling unit, and the likes, get their PVCs before the 2019 general elections.”

The union leader also commended the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) for suspending its nationwide warning strike, and urged the Federal Government to direct the tripartite committee to use the re-negotiation window to lay every issues to rest in order to forestall a further disruption of academic calendars.

He also called on the Federal Government to speedily facilitate the release of Miss Leah Sharibu, the only Christian girl in Boko Haram custody, saying: “Let this be an Independence Day gift to her parents, and indeed Nigerians.”

The NAUS Deputy Secretary-General however used the occasion to wish Nigerians a happy 58th Independence anniversary.

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