Can Jonathan or Buhari fight corruption?

Nigerians have been inundated with lots of promises by the main contenders promising to bring change to the nation, especially pledges of ridding the country of corruption. While no one knows whether there will be a change in leadership or not, the question on the lips of Nigerians is what the outcome of the election holds for the anti-graft agencies.
We all know that corruption is the bane of progress. Everybody wants change but how prepared are we for change and how has our daily lives been revolving change.  At the end of the day, what kind of change are we expecting?
President Goodluck Jonathan, during one of his campaigns, said he would not fight corruption by arresting and putting people in jail. So what is he going to do with them? Would he continue to let them go scot-free and make them his campaign manager or give them political appointments, thus passing a wrong message to the young ones that all one has to do is steal and be ready to be given presidential appointment?
At one time or the other, he also heaped the blame on past governments, accusing them of allowing corruption to have festered in the country. But then, how many things has he done or implemented in his government, to get rid of the menace? At the end of the day what is the moral behind all the prosecution of reprobates.
Interestingly, his major opposition, Maj. Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), during one of his own campaigns, said he would send corrupt individuals to jail. Indeed, it is easy to be persuaded that this is where anybody found guilty of corruption should be taken to.
While Jonathan said he would fight corruption by using technology, Buhari has expressed a hard line approach to the corruption war. Yet, the bottom line is that none of them has explained to Nigerians how they will go about curtailing corruption.
Perhaps, it is not just people’s imagination that Jonathan’s government seems to have downplayed the war on corruption. The presidential pardon granted the convicted former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, speaks volumes about the government’s stance on corruption.
Nigerians are tired of empty promises, and earnestly crave for someone ready to act and take the bull by the horn to fight corruption.

IMANI Saidu, Abuja<[email protected]>;