Against a mounting tide of allegations of gross abuse of due process of the law, President Muhammadu Buhari has said his administration will fight corruption within the ambit of extant laws, adding that his government will spare no resource in tackling the menace of corruption because it has dealt a deadly blow to the nation’s psyche.
He spoke through his deputy, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo while declaring open a two day national conference on anti-corruption organised by the National Assembly with theme “The Role of the Legislature in the Fight Against Corruption in Nigeria”.
The President said: “Despite the widespread cynicism about the ability of the political class to fight corruption, we have indeed found the will to go after it with all that is within our resources as enabled by existing laws of our land.
“How do you explain a situation where funds meant to equip soldiers in a war that was consuming thousands and probably looking for all of us, was stolen by a few individuals. Yet people still find the justification for such behaviour.
“We do not set out fighting corruption believing and acting as if we are the best by virtue of our positions as chief executives and thinking that we will do it alone.
“That is not what we need to win the war that’s threatening everybody, what we need is a coalition of reasonable men and women who would form the army of the willing in this fight.
“We need to know that a corrupt executive will destroy all that is meant for development, that a corrupt legislature will frustrate all effort to strengthen institutions via relevant legislation.
“We need to know that a corrupt judiciary will frustrate all attempts at punishing corrupt crimes and those involved in them.”
The speech which drew applause from the audience resonated with the tenor of the moment. Several judges, justices of the Supreme Court and high profile politicians and public office holders are currently under the radar of anti-graft agencies.
Head of the Presidential Committee on Anti-Corruption, Mr. Itse Sagay who has been one of the top supporters of the Buhari anti-corruption crusade in his address urged the legislature to cleanse itself for it to play its role of fighting corruption effectively.
According to him, “a self-seeking and corrupt legislature cannot effectively check the executive or the judiciary”.
He delivered a damning verdict: “In my own humble view, our legislature has not shown transparency in the discharge of its responsibility.”
A Kenyan anticorruption crusader Prof. Patrick Lumumba who spoke at the event said Nigeria should lead the charge to Africa’s greatness. He said when Nigeria gets it right many African countries will follow suit. He noted that official corruption in Nigeria was condoned for many years.
