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Corruption In Nigeria: As A Tendency In Our Political System By Samuel Uwhejevwe-Togbolo
Corruption is an hallmark of our political system, eventually every politician need power in order to get gratification and enrich them self through corruption means, thereby ignoring the promises they made during there electioneering campaign.
Most politicians seeking political offices are going there for their personal agenda, how they can amass wealth for themselves and there children yet unborn, to use the word of one popular politician in the Niger Delta region once says “the money I have made will not get finish even if my children, children up to the fourth generation uses the money” with this statement one would believe that such a politician has looted public fund, that politician has become a demy god over night, this was the same person who could not use a good car, could not feed his family prior to May 29th, 1999. It is very embarrassing to note that at a time where the country is moving toward a period of liberation from the dark years of corrupt military miss rule, some persons who profess to be the leaders of the people through their political powers are there to enrich themselves without recurs to their promises made during their electioneering campaign to develop the land and improve the standard of living of the good citizens of our blessed country Nigeria.
It is very unusual for a corrupt leader to totally fight against corruption, Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is corrupt in his own way, in recent times there were series of report in the media that the former president bribed some members of the National Assembly in order for them to support the third term agenda, which was scuttled by the National Assembly due to pressure from within and outside the country, this alone is a corrupt act that was perpetuated by the reformist called Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, this is not to say that the step he took in curbing corruption is bad, but the wheel to fight corruption sincerely was lacking, it is very difficult for a spoilt egg to produce good meal.
The way and manner in which the former Present ruled the country is tailored toward a dictatorship, he was powered drunk, not taking to advise even if the masses are against his decision, he led the entire country has if his is personal property, governance is all about listening to the people in order to solve their immediate problem. In the verge of relinquishing power he had to increase fuel pump price with flimsy excuses and also increased Value Added Tax (VAT) with 10%, in my opinion, he increase the price of petroleum product because is the direct importer of the product into the country, and the only way for him to continue to stay financially stable is for him to increase the product so that he will not feel the economic and financial pains which the poor masses are passing through, most especially now that is personal effect and financial bodies would not be taking care of by the tax payers money, these are all political corrupt tendency influenced by political power. The former President Olusengu Obasanjo instituted more pains on the masses through the increase of VAT that has currently led to the increase of commodities in the market, these are plot to drag the present administration to a log jam.
"Democracy is evolving and the unsavoury aspects reflect what has become typical of our people, namely; they know the right but they choose to do the opposite. The greed and unbridled looting of public funds by those in executive positions, from local government chairmen to governors and ministers, permanent secretaries and the Presidency, without any real punishment meted out to offenders poisoned the political process." In this present dispensation as Nigerians we appeal to President Umaru Yar’Adua to employ the fear of God in his administration, he should put the poor masses in what ever reform programme is about to carryout, in this short while of his administration most Nigerians are saying President Umaru Yar’Adua will be better than OBJ, that is what we are praying to witness. The present administration should not corrupt the National Assemble with financial gratification thereby making them to lost focus and mortgaging their personal integrity. Nigerians were aware of the trading of Gana Most Go money in the past National Assembly due to the selfish interest of the leader of the War Against Corruption in Nigeria former President Olusegun Obasanjo who preaches against corruption in the open but practice corruption in the secret, Nigerians want the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to investigate their former Boss OBJ.
Corruption as found is way into Churches, Mosque, this is so because most of our preachers are interest in political empowerment inform of appointment, financial gains that are accruing from the politicians to the clerics, in most cases cleric openly preach to their congregation to vote for their personal candidates instead of praying to God to give them a good leader, this kind of clerics are called Political Clerics they were the first to reach the swearing-in ceremony or any function of their political associates, they are quick to welcome these political thieves for thanksgiving in their congregation not minding the source of their money rather they we pour encomium on the person instead of facing the reality and advising such politicians to deliver the dividend of democracy to their subject. Thank God that we still have some few clerics who are living according to their vows to serve the lord and follow the tenet of their calls by obeying the lord and chastising those politicians by preaching the gospel of God for them to repent or face the rout of God. Corruption is not good therefore these clerics should desist from their even ways and guide these politicians toward the part of righteousness in order for them to deliver the dividend of democracy to the citizenries.
Corruption is anything that contravenes the act of doing the right thing at a giving circumstances; therefore political corruption is the process or act of dining the electorate of their democratic games or dividends in a democratic system, Political Corruption starts from outright vote-buying to selling preferential access, corruption of the political process has a corrosive effect on democracies around the Nigerian nation, this make does who bought votes to embezzle public fund through dubious means, right for the day anybody sells their votes, such a person has mortgaged their infrastructural developmental strides.
In Nigeria today the electorate are graving for a purposeful leader, someone who can lead the citizenry’s to that part of stability which will guarantee their stack in the project called Nigeria, rather the coin is having a turn around due to the fact of electoral malpractice that as become the other of the day. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the chief priest to the part of stealing the people vote and giving the mandate to their favourite candidates, they are the beginning of political corruption, they are the builder of the wall of corruption in the political hemisphere, hence to quell the tendencies of corruption in our political circle the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has to be truly independent and a person of blameless character, clouded with the sense of truth and passion to serve in order to deliver the peoples mandate needed to be appointed, this is the only true measure whereby we can get the kind of leader which will create a conducive environment for the timid population of our blessed country.
It is the right time for all of us to stand against the bad wagon of corruption in our midst and carry the cross of repair that will put all the wrongs in the past to a perfect state, these needs commitment from every citizenry’s, diplomat, for us to have a just and egalitarian society.
Movement for Youth Actualization International (MYAI) a Non-Governmental Organisation in Delta State-Nigeria
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