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The Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, and Transparency International, TI, Auwal Ibrahim Rafsanjani on Tuesday said Nigeria’s corruption system was undermined despite a drop in the 2022 index against the 2021 ranking.
Nigeria moved by four places up on the 2022 Corruption Perception Index, CPI, ranking released by Transparency International, TI.
The ranking scored Nigeria 24 out of 100 points, it fell from 150th to 154th out of 180 countries assessed in the 2022 ranking.
Rafsanjani disclosed during a press conference in Abuja.
He said the CPI is TI’s tool for measuring the levels of corruption in the systems of various countries around the world.
He explained that a country can score maximum points 100 points, and the least is zero. Zero signifies the worst-performing government, and 100 is the best-ranked.
His word: “Now, let me also say that we are deeply worried and concerned that in spite of the claim by governments to fight corruption. Sadly corruption continues to be a major problem in Nigeria. And we’re not surprised because the issue of corruption discussed has remained largely at the federal level.
“The latest ranking may indicate that President Muhammadu Buhari’s fight against corruption has yet to yield enough results.
“Many consider the Buhari administration’s pardon granted to two jailed former governors – Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and Jolly Nyame of Taraba State – in 2022 as a significant setback in the country’s anti-corruption efforts.
“As the two former governors were pardoned in April 2022, the Supreme Court affirmed their convictions and sentencing, and they had yet to serve half the length of their jail time.
“The failure to investigate and provide citizens with answers on previous leaks like the FinCen files, the Panama Papers, the Paradise Papers, and the Pandora Papers.
“Also, corruption has continued to permeate the public and private sectors despite the government’s efforts to deter the menace.
He noted that the assessment is not of Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies who are making commendable efforts in the fight against corruption in Nigeria, despite the political interference they face. Rather, the CPI goes beyond the anti-graft agencies.
He, however, urges other tiers of government to join in the anti-corruption crusade for the benefit of Nigeria and its citizens.
