The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties has urged President Bola Tinubu to reduce cases of corruption and abuse of office among ministers and civil servants for the masses to breathe.

The group, in an open letter on Tuesday addressed to the President dated January 8 and released in Lagos on Monday, said it to Tinubu’s New Year message and observed the various responses from Nigerians to his promises.

The letter, titled “Reduce corruption in your Administration,” was signed by the Secretary General, South-West CNPP. Oloye Adegboyega Adeniji.

The CNPP urged the President not to forget years of struggle as a veteran activist and opposition leader from the days of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s (retd) transition process that culminated in the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

The letter read in part: “We members of the CNPP in the South-West admonish you not to forget the years of struggles, in company with our National Chairman, Alhaji Balarabe Musa of blessed memory, to foster and sustain our nascent democracy. Now that you have achieved your life ambition to be the President of Nigeria, it is not an end to your legacy.

“It is a natural challenge that you must use the opportunity to foster and sustain our democracy for posterity and generations hereafter to appreciate your service to humanity.

“To this end, anything or action that doesn’t promote national interest for the development of human and natural resources should be expunged from your administration.

“We have over the years confirmed that nepotism, the mother of all indices of corruption, has always stood against national interest for fundamental change in our interpersonal and intergovernmental relationship for positive development in Nigeria.”

The CNPP chieftain admonished Tinubu to set a worthy example to reduce corruption while also compelling civil and public servants to step aside from public office pending outcomes of investigations. Such a decision shall go a long way to prevent any official from committing misdemeanors while in service.

“Nigerian has lost hope in probes and investigations by committees and the security agents because many of such investigative reports seldom come out for public use nor sanction erring officials in service. It will be your legacy if Nigerians imbibe the internationally accepted standards of behaviour by leaving office once misdemeanors are established against them.

“Looking forward to your swift action in the case of Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu. We shall continue to engage your administration constructively,” the letter added.

The President on Monday suspended Edun in response to her involvement in the approval of a disbursement of N585 billion into private accounts.

The Presidential Spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, said that Edu’s suspension was with immediate effect.

Mr Ngelale said the suspension was in line with Mr Tinubu’s commitment towards upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in governance.

He added that the President directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to conduct a thorough investigation into aspects of the financial transactions involving the ministry of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation.

(NAN)