Even with Buhari, corruption still rampant, Sagay laments

Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC ) Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN) on Thursday, lamented that despite the anti-corruption fight of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, corruption is still very rampant in the country.

The constitutional lawyer further lamented that corrupt government officials loot what they cannot spend in ten lifetimes, and wondered the rationale for such actions.

Sagay stated this during his opening remarks at the National Dialogue on Corruption organised by PACAC which held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He cited examples of corrupt institutions to include the Niger Delta Development Commission and the Nigeria Customs Service where he noted, that it was still business as usual for the officials.

Sagay revealed, that despite the cash crunch in the country, the NDDC recently bought about 70 cars included eight super Lexus worth about N70 million each.

Read also: Finally, Onnoghen is now CJN, gets Senate pass mark

According to him, the commission’s Managing Director later claimed that the NDDC lacks fund to carry out its responsibilities.
Also at the event, the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo said corruption was ubiquitous in the country including the judiciary, which he attributed to the ways Judges are appointed.

On his part, the newly confirmed, Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Walter Onnoghen said “As the head of the Nigerian judiciary, the issue of corruption is a sensitive one. The judiciary finds itself being battered left, right and center”.

He continued, “I stand for the Committee and other agencies in the fight against the scourge. I will like us to realize that corruption thrives (or any other form of injustice) thrives in a culture of impunity. Wherever you have a culture of impunity, you will have corruption. Because people believe I must have this. It must this or nothing. It must be me and me alone.

“So, they throw away the constitutional provisions that have been drafted to guide our daily activities, inter-governmental, inter-personal; they throw away the principles of Rule of Law. But the judiciary holds these principles in care because that is the only way by which you can ensure an orderly society and ensure the good and maintenance of democracy and justice for us.

“So, if you are to fight corruption then you fight the culture of impunity which is an attitudinal phenomenon, without adhering strictly to the constitutional provision of the rule of law.”

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