Despite Buhari’s anti-corruption fight, Nigeria drops two places in corruption index

Corruption Perception Index published on Thursday by the global coalition against corruption, Transparency International has revealed that Nigeria slipped further down in the perception in 2019.

Going two places worst than 2018, the development is coming at a time when the current administration based its primary agenda on fighting corruption.

The index released by Civil Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) showed that Nigeria scored 26 out of 100 points ranking 146 out of 180 countries.

Speaking in Abuja at a press conference on the situation, Executive Director, CISLAC, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani blamed the growing worst perception on abuse of rule of law, stating that fighting corruption is about ensuring policies and framework were adequately implemented.

Backlash against the media and civil society organisations equally daunted the perception of corruption in Nigeria, he said, adding that impunity has been on the rise in the country.

Rafsanjani said attacks on journalists and civil society organisations to prevent the demand for accountability, transparency and other initiatives on addressing corruption made mockery of the intention of government to fight corruption.

He noted that institutionalisation of corruption in political parties, witnessed in vote buying and unexplained bribery at party primaries and other continue to discourage people from participating in politics and rubbished desire to project Nigeria well before international community.

Rafsanjani also decried the abuse of office by most office holders, adding that the current framework for fighting corruption remained weak and buried in secrecy, as the masses are unable.

“Nobody knows anything about the recovered assets from the fight against corruption. Freedom of Information request on the information is also turned down,” he said.