The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Mr. Peter Obi has lamented the bane of corruption and its impact on Nigeria and its citizens, calling on Nigerian leaders to lead in the fifht against corruption.
Speaking on Sunday in a post via his verified X account, Obi lamented that “corruption is now a threat to the existence of Nigeria and the democracy, peace and progress of the country”.
He observed that Nigeria ranked 150 among 180 countries on the 2022 Corruption Perception Index released by the Transparency International, which he noted,calls for a sober reflection and concerted action by our leaders to get Nigeria out of such unfortunate ranking.
The LP flagbearer lamented that it is a wrong thing for Nigeria to have maintained such a bad reputation across the three arms of government for many years, insisting that people occupying leadership positions must take full responsibility for such negative ranking.
The former Anambra State Governor therefore called for the deployment of all means to fight corruption in Nigeria and ensure the right things are done at all levels of government and public space.
He also said leaders should stop passing buck but accept it is their responsibility to fight corruption which has become too perverse.
According to him: “As the global community marked International Anti-Corruption Day yesterday, we need to soberly reflect on the effect of corruption in our society and on our country.
“Corruption has become the greatest threat to our national existence, especially our democracy, peace, and progress. It has immeasurably stunted our development as a nation.
“We must therefore deploy all available means to strengthen our fight against corruption, by not only doing the right things at all times in all levels of governance in public space, but by also ensuring that the leaders are right and behave in a manner, befitting of their positions.
“Sadly, Nigeria has maintained a very bad reputation for high levels of corruption across the three arms of government over many years.
“We were ranked 150 among 180 countries on the 2022 Corruption Perception Index released by Transparency International.
“PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, (PwC), in its report, projected that corruption could cost Nigeria up to 37 percent of GDP by 2030, if not addressed urgently.
“The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in a separate report blamed inequality, injustice, national instability, etc, on corruption in the country.
“This very negative perception of Nigeria reflects the worsening economic situation of the country where foreign investors are leaving the country, and local investors are constantly shutting down, resulting in massive job loss, an increasing poverty rate and a dwindling economy.
“The gross abuse of the rule of law, and disrespect for our constitution are all resultant effects of the endemic corruption that has eaten through the fabric of our society.
“More sadly, is the fact that we the leaders, are not setting very good precedents for our children, by engaging in all forms of corrupt practices.
“The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, was recently reported to have lamented the huge percentage of Nigerian youths in cybercrime.
“The question we must all ask is where the children are learning such criminality from, if not from us the parents, especially we the Leaders.
“I remain committed to a new Nigeria that will be a corruption-free nation or minimally corrupt.
“It will be a nation that will promote entrepreneurship, professionalism and hard work, where peace and integrity will reign.”
