Many politicians aspiring for political offices ahead of the 2023 general election ought to be in jail by now for corrupt practices.

This is the position of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Obasanjo on Saturday argued that if the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had done their jobs properly with the support of the judiciary, many politicians aspiring for political positions and their supporters should have been jailed.

The former President spoke at the international symposium, organised to mark his 85th birthday at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The symposium was attended physically and virtually by eminent personalities, including: President Paul Kagame, President Nicéphore Soglo, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Prof. Goski Alabi (Ghana), Ambassador Barry Desker (Singapore), Prof. Juma Shabani (Burundi), Dr. Mary Khimulu (Kenya), Dr. Moussa Kondo (Mali); Prof. Sarah Agbor (Cameroon). Anambra Governor-elect Chukwuma Soludo and Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, among others.

The theme of the symposium was: “Africa Narrative with Nigeria Situation”.

Obasanjo insisted that, Nigerians must learn from the events of the past and put aside sentiments in choosing the next President of the country.

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He said: “I cast a cursory look at some of the people running around and those for whom people are running around. If EFCC and ICPC have done their jobs properly and supported adequately by the judiciary, most of them would be in jail.

“Any person who has no integrity in small things cannot have integrity in big things. Fixing Nigeria must begin on the principles of nation building, not necessarily on emotion, sentiments, euphoria, ignorance, incompetence, ethnicity, nepotism, bigotry, sectionalism, regionalism, religion or class.

“The issues of security, stability, development, economy and our relationship within Africa and with the rest of the world can only be taken care of if we get the issue of the nation building right.

“We have a lot to learn from the events of the last almost 24 years and God is not to blame if we fail.

“It would appear that we are not getting our priorities right and that can spell doom on our country if we fail to do what we should do for nation-building in terms of fundamentals of equity, justice, common ideals, popular education, shared values, mutual respect and equality of opportunity anchored and propelled by leaders across the board that are persons of integrity, honour, morality, competence, great virtue, courage to do what is right, humility and ability to put a team together and work with them in selfless devotion and service with the fear of God.”

The Star