Elder statesman and Ijaw leader, Edwin Clark, has called for a state of emergency on corruption in the country.

In an interview on the 30th anniversary of the annulment of the June 12 presidential election, Mr Clark decries the rate of corruption at all levels of government.

“Corruption in the country is so high, which I have always said since 2014, that the government should declare a state of emergency on corruption,” said Mr Clark, a former Federal Commissioner for Information.

He added, “The rate at which corruption is going on in the country is terrible where every arm of government cannot be trusted.”

Mr Clark tasked Nigerians to ensure the country remains peaceful and crisis-free despite its numerous challenges.

“We all desired that we live in a country that is peaceful, that is free from crisis, security and economic challenges and the low corruption level,” he said.

The 96-year-old national leader called for a peaceful country where all Nigerians were equal before the law.

“When we were in the 2014 National Conference as elder statesmen, we made a lot of recommendations for the survival of Nigeria as a country.

“A united country free from crisis, where all the citizens are equal before the law, and anyone of them can rise to any position you want to lead,” he said.

He said the immediate past administration in the country did not provide the necessary ingredients for Nigeria’s democracy to grow.

“Everything was done by the executive, and the ninth Assembly did not perform well.

“Many Nigerians accused them of rubber stamping, and today we are owing so much money which would have been debated on the floor of the chamber,” he said.

On Mr Tinubu’s administration, which is a few weeks old, Mr Clark declined to comment.

“I don’t want to comment on that one much because the election tribunals are still sitting.

“I don’t want to make statements that are prejudicial. So let the law take its normal course.”

(NAN)