Transparency International has ranked Nigeria 150 among 180 countries in its 2022 Corruption Perception Index Report.
Development Diaries reports that although the country ranked 154 in 2021, the 2022 report still indicates a poor ranking for the nation under President Muhammdu Buhari’s administration.
President Buhari, in 2015, came into office with a promise to fight corruption, especially among the elite, but eight years down the line, corruption in Nigeria has persisted.
In October 2022, the president was seen lauding his administration’s performance in tackling corruption. Contrary to this, many economic analysts argue that the president’s anti-corruption war has not impacted the Nigerian economy positively.
According to a 2021 anti-corruption report by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) on Buhari’s six years in office, the anti-corruption track record of the president’s government will go down in Nigeria’s history as one filled with missed opportunities and outright hypocrisy.
In a 2021 report, Premium Times revealed that officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) accused President Buhari of sabotaging the anti-corruption fight after he granted a presidential pardon to two former governors – Jolly Nyame (Taraba State) and Joshua Dariye (Plateau State).
The two former governors had been convicted for mismanaging and stealing public funds during their time in office.
So, how exactly will the fight against corruption be won if those convicted are granted pardons? Is the anti-corruption fight reserved for certain persons? Is it targeted at political enemies of the administration?
In fairness though, the administration came up with the whistle-blower policy and the implementation of the Treasury Single Account to tackle corruption. Unfortunately, these measures have not done much in aiding the anti-corruption fight due to the failure of the government to effectively investigate allegations.
In order for Nigeria to gain headway in the fight against corruption, the next administration needs to leave the fight to independent institutions to handle.
Also, the anti-corruption institutions need to be strengthened against interference from the executive, legislative and the judiciary arms of government.
Photo source: Femi Adesina
