Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state Friday advocated for proactive tactics in fight against corruption.
He said that why Transparency International rated Nigeria very low in fighting corruption was because of the tactics used in the fight and then called for a change of tactics.
Umahi disclosed this on Friday when he received wives of Southern Governors forum which paid him a courtesy call at the Government House Executive Chambers, Abakaliki.
He further commended President Buhari’s wife Aisha Buhari for bringing the women together and said it showcased her love for the country and encouraged the women to toe the foot steps of the president’s wife.
His words, “Let me use this opportunity to commend the mother of the country. She is a very good mother, a passionate woman. In all honesty, she has love for Nigeria. She is a woman that doesn’t want to know where someone is coming from. If you are from PDP or APC, she does not want to know the political party you are coming from,I want to thank her for bringing you together.
“So far you continue to be together, I can assure you that it creates a greater coalition for the governors in this country. Governors are very important for the unity and oneness of this nation. We are passing through very difficult times, but through her and you people, we are able to weather the storm. Now, we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel.
“The challenges we face is not peculiar to Nigeria alone. When the Transparency International rated Nigeria very low in fighting corruption, it is not because we are as corrupt as they said. It is because our handlers need to change in the tactics of fighting corruption and this is what the Transparency International is talking.
While Umahi commended President Buhari, he ordered mental check on governors that castigate him.
“Mr President has done quite a lot in real fight against corruption, but we need to change tactics. We need to stop media trial. We need to do more of protective kind of fighting corruption than reactive one.
“Mr President has been very good to us. He is not partisan at all and that is why we continue to support him. Any governor that castigates the president should have his head examined”.
Meanwhile, the chairperson of Southern Governors Wives Forum and wife of Edo state Governor, Mrs Besty Obaseki, said that Mrs Buhari instituted the association when she came into power in 2015, with the aim of establishing a formidable collaboration among the governors wives and bringing ideas that will help their states.
“Wife of the president came onboard and met the association of wives of Northern Governors and established this. The whole essence is for us to impact, to collaborate, to interact to bring new ideas to assist our husbands.
“We have been forced in a very nice way to integrate in national activities. The main focus of this meeting is to support our sister in what she is doing and participate in empowerment. This is the way to create impact amongst ourselves. The whole initiative of the platform has formed strong bond in leadership amongst us,” she said.
Out of the 17 states that make up the forum, ten was presented as at the time of the courtesy visit. They were Mrs Besty Obaseki of Edo, chairperson of the forum, Mrs. Rachel Umahi of Ebonyi, vice chairman, Mrs. Monica Ugwuanyi- Enugu, Mrs. Edith Okowa- Delta, Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu- Abia, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel- Akwa Ibom, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi- Ekiti, Mrs. Kafayat Oyetola – Osun, Mrs. Linda Ayade- Cross River, Mrs. Esther Makinde- Oyo.
