Juliana Francis
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Transparency International (TI) Nigeria has expressed its total disappointment over the appointment and nomination of some people believed to be corrupt and with questionable integrity into leadership positions at the political party level, the executive and the legislative arms of government.
In a press statement, the Executive Director CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani) said he and other key stakeholders were worried about the effect that such ill-thought actions will have on the morale of anti-corruption agencies in the country.
Musa said: “A scenario where an individual who has very substantial corruption allegation against him is made to lead the ruling political party is worrisome.
“These are happening despite ongoing investigations by anti-graft agencies at the state and federal level against some of these individuals. We find it appalling that some of the names sent by the president to the National Assembly to be screened for ministerial positions have corruption-related cases to answer with the anti-graft agencies.
“Going by this list, the president would correctly be perceived as showing lack of care about integrity in governance and turn deaf ears to public outcry on key issues, especially the fight against corruption.”
According to him, the ministerial list sent to the Senate proves that “we are reversing the gains made in our anti-corruption efforts since our return to democracy in 1999. For example, the index has an ex-governor internationally accused of aiding a former military ruler to launder Nigeria’s wealth abroad.”
Musa stated that it was also disturbing that a politician with a case to answer with the Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is under the leadership of the National Assembly and will be conducting oversight duties on anti-graft agencies, including the EFCC.
He added: “We equally frown at the recycling of some ex-governors and ex-minsters who glaringly failed to perform in their previous assignments.
With the assemblage of these alleged corrupt individuals with an integrity deficit, it is clear that the President has no regard or concern for the public’s demand for a sane and responsible government.
“Nigeria’s reputation in the global community is going to suffer negative consequences with the incredible damage the acts like money laundering, drugs trafficking, merchant of violence and illegal proliferation of arms have done to our country which has contributed and will continue widening insecurity, poverty, the collapse of education, health care infrastructural development and ethics and value system.
“We find it very sad that young Nigerians will have no positive lesson to learn from these corrupt leaders.
Citizens and well-meaning Nigerians must continue to demand that transparency, accountability, and responsible leadership be institutionalized in our public offices.”
