APC, PDP haven’t shown anti-graft blueprint, says Ugolor

WITH about 18 days to the general elections, Executive Director, African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Reverend David Ugolor, has said none of the two major political parties have not shown Nigerians a clear plan to fight corruption which, according to him, remains the number one issue that must be tackled by any government that wants to succeed.
   

 He said: “Both political parties have not been able to provide a well conceived policy which must not necessarily go into details of investigation and prosecutions. The absence of real debate on corruption issues will make it difficult to assess the best option from either APC or PDP.
 What will now happen is that either PDP or APC will win the election and the business of corruption will continue.
   

  “If APC wins the election in February14, most of the members of the party will not allow Buhari to implement a sweeping reform or alternatively if PDP wins, it will be opportunity to continue the business of corruption.”
   

   Ugolor who is currently a post-graduate student at Sussex Centre for the Study of Corruption, University of Sussex in an electronic statement to The Guardian said he came to the conclusion about the two political parties because “we have not been able build sufficient critical mass around corruption issues to nudge both political parties to take the issue seriously.” 

   He went on: “Both political parties have corrupt elite that survive on rents and will work against any radical change.
APC mantra of change will only last for few months if they win the election come February 14. Most of the members are strange bedfellows without any deep ideological commitment to a corrupt free society. And what we should expect is that Buhari will be frustrated and he will naturally gravitate to his people and the North-South wahala will start. Then, there will be real big challenge to hold the party accountable.”
 

    He said on the other hand, if PDP wins, “our private investors that donated the N21 billion will certainly step up action to recoup their money.   The private sector donors are not charity organisations. They are traders and they survive on rents from the country. They will not allow President Jonathan to implement any reform. Their business thrive on tax evasion and dirty deals in collaboration with PDP leaders.” 

  He added: “This election would have provided us the opportunity to make some changes on how the country should be governed but corruption culture have dealt a blow to the country’s social capital.
All the key pressure groups like Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Academic Senior Staff Union (ASSU), National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Civil Society Networks and other progressive groups have either chosen to deliberately keep quiet or gone to sleep.”