The latest
report by Transparency International, TI, “makes a mockery” of the African
Union’s award to President Muhammadu Buhari as its anti-corruption champion.
The
Transparency International had on Wednesday said in its latest corruption
perception index, CPI, that Nigeria dropped from 136 in 2016 to 148 in 2017,
out of the 180 countries surveyed.
Recall that
during its last meeting, the African Union had honoured Buhari as its
anti-corruption champion in recognition of the “strides” the current
administration has recorded in the anti-graft war.
From the
index, the AU “appears to be supporting corruption by making a man under whom
corruption has increased its anti-corruption icon.”
According
to him, the ranking was a evidence that rather than fight corrupt practices,
the current administration had decided to “clamp down on opposition.”
It is very
disappointing that in the latest CPI index, Nigeria has relapsed deeper into
corruption and has moved 12 steps backwards from 136 to 148.
“We
consequently advise that timely efforts should be made to stem the free fall of
Nigeria into the abyss of corruption.
“Let us
also respect the judiciary and not hound or intimidate them in an attempt to
cow them into giving favourable judgments against perceived political
opponents.
“Let us
call a spade a spade and conduct a true anti-corruption war rather than an anti-opposition
war. The days of hand cuffs for the opposition and hand outs for the cronies of
the government must be put behind us.
“It does
not help that in recent years, Nigeria has refused to obey valid court
judgments in Nigeria and beyond Nigeria.
“It is to
the great embarrassment of Nigeria that we who used to be the pillar of the
ECOWAS sub region are now routinely cited for flouting judgments of the ECOWAS
court. That ought not to be at all.”
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