NIGERIA’S RECENT POOR CORRUPTION RATING BY TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL VINDICATES THE CLAIM OF MANY THAT THERE IS GROWING CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA;

Confirmation from the Sultan of Sokoto who is a very conservative religious/ traditional ruler that there is still high level of corruption in Nigeria and the recent poor ranking of Nigeria on the world’s corruption perception index by Transparency International, vindicate those who have persistently argued that corruption in Nigeria merely went underground and became more audacious.

The civil service and many public institutions are experiencing the highest level of nepotism and wanton embezzlement. Some public servants preside over the award of contracts to themselves through their surrogates and have deeply limited the openness that is expected from such processes. A number of public servants are taking refuge in an unelected powerful cabal to inflict damage on the integrity of this government. The pain of it all is that the elected government still has so much confidence in a warped bureaucracy.

A great number of political appointees have not helped matters at all. Leading the pack is the serving Attorney General. What a pity that President Buhari can stick with this man of the many competent and forthright lawyers available to pick from in this country. The AG must read the mood of the nation with respect to fighting corruption. The public wants this fight to be sustained on the basis of substantial justice. They way don’t want a fight based on technicalities. They want to see that those let off the hook are truly innocent and the guilty ones are behind bars. This desire is based on the renewed public awareness that the real people who have afflicted them with poverty are those who stole their common wealth, but move around the country as free men flaunting their ill gotten wealth.

How can a government that takes the likes of Amaechi seriously be taken seriously by the rest of humanity. Who were those in PDP that caused that Party credibility problems? Were they from Jupiter? Most of those men and women are right in bed with this regime. It is not surprising that they are gradually afflicting the government with their moral leprosy.

Buhari’s supporters are intolerant of criticism and hail the old man as infallible, but his inability to be promptly decisive on corruption matters surrounding his lieutenants may rob him of his place in history. For a man who rode to power on the fight against corruption, to have the country remain in the worst ranking on corruption in recent times by an International Organization with global neutrality is ironical of his journey to Aso rock.

The government cannot run away from this rating or dismiss same as wailing by haters as they normally do. They must take it seriously. Each time they get a boost on improving the economy from figures by less endowed agencies, they celebrate it via formal and social media. They must accept this rating and work to improve it. They cannot approbate and reprobate about international rating agencies by picking and choosing which one to accept. Such discretion would be poor and laughable.

This is a warning shot to the government. They must heed the call and do the needful. Time is running out.

Dr. West-Idahosa.
( A Nigerian based lawyer and policy analyst)