A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mallam Yusuf Olu Ali, at the weekend, said about 80 per cent of the socio-economic and political problems facing the country were caused by corruption among leaders.
Ali, who spoke with journalists in Ilorin, shortly after participating on a group walk, tagged:  “Walk for Probity, Integrity and Social Engineering against Corruption organised by his law firm, Ghalib Chambers, at the weekend,  however, said: “it is  quite necessary for all Nigerians to be part of the fight against corruption.”

According to him, “it is worrisome that the corruption had eaten deep into the society and all efforts must be put in place so as to curb the menace among the people in the society be it in private or public sectors.”
He said: “Money that could have been used for 10 kilometres of road was used for one kilometre of poorly done road by some of Nigerian leaders.

“Our leaders should learn to lead by examples as this will go a long way of accelerating the socio economic and political development of the nation. So, all Nigerians, ordinary people, must hold our leaders accountable. All what's happening is because we allowed it to happen.” 

He further added that: “We don't hold our leaders to higher moral values because we also lack it. We must not sell our franchise and we must be upright. We should vote right in order to have the moral right to ask them questions. When you sell your rights, you've mortgaged your right.”

On centenary celebration of Nigeria as a nation, Alli said that 100 years of nationhood is worth being celebrated, saying: “everyday, we live is worth a celebration and that we are still together as a nation, having come this far, with various socio-political economic challenges since 1914, is worth being celebrated. It will help us to draw attention to things we had done right and those things we had not done properly.”

On the recent alliance of opposition political parties, Ali said opposition politicians should be determined to change the course of history in the country.

He said: “I hope the merger of opposition political parties will not be so much movement without direction. The essential thing for political class to imbibe is that it is not just to scamper to get into power. The merger is not directed at what’s happening in Nigeria. The concern is only to take power from PDP. The PDP is in trouble today because power came and they didn't know what to do with power. They should be determined to change the course of history in this country.”
Ali, who said the purpose of the group walk was to draw attention to corruption, added that the walk would also help physical and mental health.

“It’s quite important to note that age is no barrier to well being or healthy living. People in their 60s can go all out on the walk and those even in their 20s could hardly go half of the way. We must buy into physical well being. It will reduce incessant cases of sudden death that is rampant in the society due to congenital heart problems. Physical well being is a form of best medicine for diabetes and hypertension,” he said.