Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo said a major challenge with the anti-corruption drive of the
Federal Government is the lack of successful prosecution of
high-profile
corruption cases involving ‘Politically-Exposed Persons’.
Obasanjo added
that despite the efforts of government, corruption still posed a challenge to
the progress and development of Nigeria.
The former
President said this while delivering an inaugural lecture organised by the
National Open University of Nigeria, in Abuja, on Tuesday.
The lecture
was titled, “Leadership, Governance, and the Challenges of Development in
Nigeria: The Way forward.”
Obasanjo, who
admitted that Nigeria’s poverty and seeming lack of direction was caused by
leadership, said the institutions in the country needed to be strengthened to
ensure transparency and accountability.
He said,
“Nigeria’s poverty, insecurity, lack of unity and cohesion, youth restiveness
and seeming directionless are conscious and unconscious choices made by
Nigerian leaders. The impact of corruption on the Nigerian society and economy
has been devastating. It continues to affect the government’s ability to
provide basic services and has negatively impacted on the wellbeing of the
population.
“The lack of
successful prosecution of high-profile corruption cases involving some
Politically-Exposed Persons is giving a serious cause for concern both for
Nigerians and the international community. We must take away the proceeds of
illicit enrichment and remove negative role models in our society.”
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