TheCable

Abdurrasheed Hadiyatullah, president of the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN), says Nigerian leaders need to show political will to enforce the war against corruption in the country.

Speaking on Tuesday during the annual pre-Ramadan meeting of the council in Kaduna, Hadiyatullah said Nigeria needs more than half-hearted efforts to solve all challenges facing the country.

He raised concerns over the challenges of insecurity, poor electricity supply, corruption and economic hardship in the country.

“Corruption is like a cancer, which destroys everything noble and undermines the principles of good governance,” he said.

“It is perfectly justified to ask our leaders, why should the ordinary Nigerian be made to bear the brunt of insecurity with trillions being spent on the security agencies without positive results or accountability?

“Why should the ordinary Nigerian suffer difficulties from power failure and its skyrocketing cost with over $20 billion wasted on power, without positive results or accountability?

“There is no doubt that we cannot reasonably expect solutions to issues bedevilling our lives until our leaders summon the political will to address the issue of corruption, whenever, wherever and whoever is involved.”

He asked the federal government to “re-examine the neo-liberal economic template guiding our policies”.

“The council has actively contributed to the political and socio-economic development of Nigeria, with the unity and prosperity of the Ummah as the cornerstone of our efforts,” he added.

“As a religious body, one of our core objectives is to see to the realisation of a stable Ummah and country that is economically, socially and politically viable.

“Nigerians are living in turbulent and unpredictable times characterized by fear, insecurity, excruciating poverty, mutual distrust, corruption, and despondency.

“The paramount challenge before us is how best to confront these issues, instill hope, and with the help of Allah, turn our situation around to success, security, and prosperity.”