Former US intelligence community
expert on Nigeria, Mathew Page, has described the anti-corruption fight of
President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration as selective.
Page, currently an advisor with
Transparency International, spoke during a workshop organised by Centre for
Democracy and Development, CDD, in Abuja.
He said: “My feeling on the style
of fighting corruption by this government is very significant. It is very
robust but is quite selective. There should be some root reforms in terms of
the way the agencies operate.
“We know for a fact that corrupt
activities are going on as they also have done in the past and it seems the
government of the day is slow to taking expansive approach to fighting
corruption.
“This is not to say the
government has not made progress. Agencies like EFCC are doing a robust job,
given the resources. I feel the anti-corruption war is quite political in
Nigeria and selective.
“There is still need for more to
be done to look into the activities of people in government now and members of
the ruling party and not just people who were in the past government.”
Page further took a swipe at the
international community and how some countries fuel corruption in Nigeria.
“We often talk about corruption
in Nigeria being a domestic problem focused here but we miss a part of the
conversation about how the international community, especially the property
markets in US, UK and other European countries, aid corrupt Nigerians to steal
away public funds from Nigeria.”
He insisted that the host
countries where Nigerians stash stolen funds are guilty of aiding corrupt
Nigerians because they operate laws that provide the looters a safe haven to
launder public funds from Nigeria.
Page said: “By co-operation, they
facilitate corruption by Nigerian politicians. Government officials take money
they looted in Nigeria to buy property in US, UK and essentially make it
disappear from Nigeria.
“There are two sides to the story
but we talk much more about the other. A lot more can be done in fighting
corruption across board. Rather than using rhetoric and talks, Nigerian can
look at how UK, US use laws to fight corruption to address the anomalies.”
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Good morning sir Mr President Buhari but should it take a FOREIGNER to tell u that ur anti-corruption war is one sided? Should it take a FOREIGNER to address the same thing that almost all Nigerians have been saying except those corrupt party members of APC that the anti-corruption war needed to be broad band? I'm not a PDP nor APC member, neither do I have any political party affliation and that makes me to see and think better. Mr President Buhari, let me tell u the truth, u are indirectly being corrupted by ur principle of making the anti-corruption war a one way street by making the program a selective one. It should be a two way street, broad band program, one that extends to all parties and states, it should be a national affair and then it may be effective. It is corruption if u investigate and arrest some but look away from others because of whatever reason. A corrupt mind can't fight a corrupt system and that's why we all need a heart change. And heart changes can only be by Jesus Christ, by genuinely asking Jesus Christ to come into our hearts and do the work of redemption and then we can change the system by successfully fighting corruption but otherwise, we may invest time but it may be fruitless. The system will always be a one way street, fighting corruption but corruption that are originated only by our party opponents if do fight corruption without a change of heart. But if we fight corruption with a changed heart by Jesus Christ, heaven will be a surety for us all because of accepting Jesus Christ God's Son as our Savior and Lord. Thank u as u consider this advice seriously and may u be blessed inJesusChristname. As usual, Today the second day of the week, 23rd October 2017 @ 10:44 a.m.
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ReplyDeleteThumbs up for Matthew Page and thumbs down for Buhari and his APC government.
ReplyDeleteNow Buhari together with his dishonest team gets told the truth and nothing but the truth by a foreigner. What a huge shame!