The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to make the regime’s war against Corruption more transparent in order to promote its credibility amongst Nigerians.
In a press release issued by the Centre, its Executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran, stated that: “The latest campaign being waged against the Anti-Corruption war of this government is the book written by the duo of former United States of America Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, and an American Intelligence Community Expert, Mathew Page, in their book entitled, ‘Nigeria: What Everyone Needs to Know’, which was recently released. Nigeria was described as a kleptocracy of ethno-religious and political robber elites with a claim to democracy.
“While CACOL shares in the claim of the authors that ‘official and unofficial corruption undermines the democratic trajectory and threatens overwhelming it, thus serving as a major hindrance to the country’s economic and socio-political development’ it is our belief that more than any of the country’s previous administrations, President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has shown more resolve to confront the menace of corruption in our national life”.
“It is quite instructive that these foreign authors narrated what is already known by majority of Nigerians about their country which is that corruption has remained embedded within the country’s ruling elite since the return to democracy in Nigeria. It is also worthy of note that although both authors acknowledged that President Buhari seems to be doing all within his powers to combat the menace of corruption, the monster still rears its ugly head within same ruling class. This is not far-fetched from CACOL’s long-term position that the presence of certain elements that seem to espouse corruption in this government could actually become a destabilizing factor”.
“We also demand that the present administration addresses the allegation that illicit oil contracts worth $25b was awarded by the Management of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) without adhering to due process.”
The CACOL boss also adds: “As much as the government’s efforts at tackling corruption may not have been as profound as majority of Nigerians would want it to be, it is a far cry from the experience we had in the recent past. It is therefore incumbent on the current administration to also do an in-house cleansing with regard to cases like the Maina-gate, Babachir Lawal’s grass cutting scandal and Kemi Adeosun’s still unfolding National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate scandal. This would go a long way in relieving Buhari’s government of the moral burden that may become its albatross.”
Adegboyega Otunuga
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
cacolc@yahoo.com,cacol@thehumanitycentre.com
For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at
www.corruptionwatchng.com, www.cwatch.thehumanitycentre.com
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