A leading member of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Aare Abayomi Mumuni, has implored Nigerians to remain persistent in their support for the Yar'Adua-led government with a view to achieving for the nation the much-desired development and peace.

Speaking during an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP SUNDAY, the ANPP chief emphasised the need to rally round the administration, in order to attain high productivity from the administration, irrespective of individual political affiliation.

"What I want Nigerians to know is the fact that president Yar'Adua is a man of honour, and the fact that he means well for the nation is obvious.

He is a man of high integrity who would not manipulate government machinery to conform with his personal interest.

And in my view, such a man should be supported and given the necessary encouragement, rather than feasting on wicked and annoying rumours that have the capacity to throw the nation into chaos.

We should be considerate enough to appreciate the mess president Yar'Adua inherited from his predecessor, and the truth is that he needs to take every caution to ensure that these bad deeds were reverted, without necessarily compounding the problems on ground." Mumuni said.

Speaking on Nigeria's attainment of 48 years of political independence, the ANPP member, who took a shot at a senatorial seat in Lagos on the platform of the party in the last general election said Nigeria must consider itself lucky, having president Yar'Adua at the helm of affairs at its 48 years of political independence.

"We could not really claim to have achieved the much expected development at the age of 48 as a sovereign nation, but the fact of the matter is that, we are relieved to have a man like Yar'Adua in position at this critical point of our history, because he is a leader who is conscious of the need to comply with due process in whatever business that is being transacted either at the government level or as individual corporate entity. He cares about the future generation and this is manifesting in his administration."

Aligning himself with the general view over the overhauling of our electoral system, Mumuni advocated the need to redefine our electoral system with a view to attaining maximum results in all facts of our electoral system.

"We truly need a genuine and perfect electoral system that can guarantee us with authentic winners at the polls, and not imposed candidates.

The electoral law must put in place severe laws that could be applied to electoral law breakers."