The former President of Court of Appeal, Justice Mustapha Akanbi (rtd) has advised the President-Elect, Retired General Muhammadu Buhari to tackle corruption headlong and involve people of proven integrity in his cabinet for him to achieve his ultimate goal of moving the country to the next level.

Akanbi gave the advice yesterday in his office, GRA Ilorin while speaking with The Herald, saying that the first issue that needed to be addressed by the new dispensation was corrupt practices that have become common phenomenon in the country.

The Pioneer Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practice and other related offences Commission (ICPC) described corruption as a clog in the wheel of progress and development of this nation.

He commended General Muhammadu for his reticence, doggedness and perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds before the elections.

He also urged the President-elect to ensure that the unity of the country was paramount on his agenda, noting that the strength of any nation lies in a united common front.

He also implored the President-elect to address high rate of unemployment among Nigerian youths.

Akanbi advised General Buhari to as a matter of priority appoint people with good track record of achievements and impeccable character, who shared the same ideology and philosophy of life so as to collectively move the country to an enviable standard.

Akanbi who is the first Wakili of Ilorin also advised the new government to address the issue of security challenges that are drawing the country backward. While commending the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting free, fair and credible elections in the country, Justice Akanbi also gave pass mark to the outgoing President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for his doggedness and statesmanship by conceding defeat and congratulating the winner even before the results of the polls were announced.

Speaking on voters' apathy that characterized governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections in Kwara State, the jurist expressed dissatisfaction over the situation which he blamed on lack of enough voters' education.

He called on political leaders to do a postmortem of election figures with a view to increasing voters' education and enlightenment.

He said Mustapha Akanbi Foundation (MAF) a non-political party did a lot of voters' education programmes because it understands the importance of the exercise to a credible electoral process.

Speaking on the gale of defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress,, he called on the party leadership to device mechanism of separating the chap from the wheat.

He stressed the need for the APC to study the antecedents, character and track records of defectors before giving them positions of responsibility.