Retired army brigadier-general Mohamed Arshad Raji, who heads the Patriots association, said that the country needs a reset as there are “many, growing ills that are afflicting the country.”

“Corruption has (become) so deeply rooted among us that there is no way that the same old politicians and their political machinations can ever redeem us,” he said.

Politicians who wished to put themselves forward as the people’s champions; should declare their wealth, he said. “The days are over for hoodwinking citizens,” he added.

“Authoritarianism has been creeping in, so much so that people today live in fear of being hauled up for political incorrectness. Even being a whistleblower seems like a nightmare these days.

“We had enough of talk and promises; we have more than enough evidence of failures and mismanagement,” he said. “If we do not plug all these undemocratic, unjust, and thieving practices at GE15, we are doomed for a long time to come.”

He said nepotism and cronyism was widespread in government, the civil service, and even among politically-aligned companies.

He said the next general election would be “the final call and last opportunity” to get the nation back on the right path, and urged civil society leaders, professional bodies and religious leaders to carry out “national service” by responding to the call.