The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Professor Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN) has said that President Muhammadu Buhari possess a strong political will to fight corruption in Nigeria.
Owasanoye stated this during the presentation of a paper titled, ‘Anti-Corruption Legislations, Policies and Practices: How they Align with UNCAC, OECD Anti-Bribery Convention and other Regional Conventions on Preventing and Combating Corruption,’ at the 26th INTERPOL Global Programme on Financial Crimes and Assets Recovery in Abuja recently.
Owasanoye, who was represented by ICPC’s Director of Operations, Akeem Lawal, stated that the Buhari administration was known for not interfering with the work of the anti-corruption agencies.
His words: “Even if you are in his political party, he does not care. Go and answer the anti-corruption agencies. If you are free, you are free, if you are not, he doesn’t care. So he has a strong political will to fight corruption at this moment. Notwithstanding our internal challenges, we know this government to have the political will to fight corruption.”
Corruption in Nigeria is a constant phenomenon. From massive contract fraud at the top, through petty bribery, money laundering schemes, embezzlement and seizing salaries from fake workers, it is estimated that corruption within the state apparatus costs the country billions of dollars every year.
