Fomer President Olusegun Obasanjo has lamented that nepotism in Nigeria is obstructing the fight against corruption.In what seemed like reporting the country’s leadership to the world, the elder statesman, before a gathering of investors at the ongoing yearly meeting of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in Moscow, accused the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari of fiscal indiscipline and bias in the fight against corruption.
He described corruption and development as strange bed fellows, warning that people in authority would remain deluded as long as their definition of corruption is when money, goods and services are involved.
“Nepotism is a form of corruption and condoning what is bad is a height of corruption. Lack of fiscal discipline is corruption. So, corruption and development cannot meet. You must eschew corruption to make sure that you make significant progress.
“Fighting corruption is not a matter of do it today and tomorrow you are absent. It must be consistently fought. There must not be sacred cows, and it must be comprehensive and inclusive,” he said.The Buhari administration has repeatedly come under criticism for allegedly favouring a section of the country on appointments and targeting the opposition in its campaign against graft.
The government’s alleged shoddy consultation was also blamed for the delay in the ratification of the African Continental Free Trade and Agreement (AfCFTA), acclaimed the largest free trade agreement in the world. Obasanjo told investors that while there is no confusion on what the deal is, private sector operators became disillusioned over the government’s alleged inaction and poor consultations after it had taken the lead in design and execution.
He expressed hope that Nigeria would sign the deal before the July 7 launch in Niamey.“Nigeria will not be absent at the launch of the AfCFTA. But I see no reason why Nigeria can be present at the launch when it has not signed the agreement. It is out of place. Eritrea and even Niger and Benin who are our neighbours have signed, and Nigeria is counting itself out.
Read more at: https://guardian.ng/news/nepotism-is-corruption-obasanjo-tells-presidency/
