The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has decried corruption as the primary obstacle to Nigeria’s development.
Obi made this assertion on his X (formerly Twitter) page today while marking the International Anti-Corruption Day, a day he described as holding profound lessons for Nigeria.
Highlighting the pervasive nature of corruption in the country, the former Anambra State Governor lamented its crippling effects on governance, the economy, and social cohesion.
“For years, Nigeria has been burdened by a sickening level of corruption at all levels and across all arms of government,” he said.
Citing a report by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Obi agreed that corruption has brought Nigeria to its knees, both economically and socially.
He outlined how corruption manifests in various ways, including lack of transparency in budgeting, misappropriation of public funds, contract inflation, bribery, favoritism, and toll-gating.
The 63-year-old expressed sadnees over Nigeria’s corruption perception index ranking of 145 out of 180 countries, emphasizing the urgent need for action.
“We are today ranked among the 11 worst-ruled African nations in the last 10 years. This discourages good governance and serves as clogs the wheels of national development,” he stated.
He further highlighted shocking financial irregularities uncovered by the Auditor-General of the Federation, noting that a staggering N3.403 trillion was unaccounted for in some government ministries, departments, and agencies for the financial year ending December 2021.
“This amount is bigger than 20 per cent of our national budget for that year,” Obi said, describing it as a troubling indicator of the endemic corruption plaguing the nation.
He also criticised the government’s rising debt profile, which he said was fueled by a relentless appetite for loans without accountability or visible investments.
According to him, “There are no visible impacts of these loans on the economy, suggesting they were misappropriated or consumed.”
Calling for decisive action, Obi urged Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies to focus on pressing issues such as oil theft, budget padding, and bribery while ensuring that culprits face justice.
“A day like this provides an opportunity for leaders to eschew corrupt practices and for citizens to stand against corruption in all forms,” he remarked.
Reaffirming his commitment to fighting corruption, Obi stressed the importance of exemplary leadership.
“In any organisation or nation where leaders are not corrupt, corruption reduces by over 60 per cent, and fighting the remainder becomes manageable,” he said.
