The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) strongly condemns the appointment of individuals with alleged corruption charges and questionable integrity to positions of authority within various political parties, executive branches, and legislative arms of the government.
Auwal Ibrahim Musa, the Executive Director of CISLAC, raised significant reservations in a statement regarding the negative impact of these ill-advised appointments. He emphasized that such appointments could undermine the efforts of the anti-corruption agencies nationwide, expressing worry over the inclusion of individuals facing corruption allegations in the ministerial list. CISLAC emphasized that these appointments might reflect poorly on the President’s commitment to integrity in governance, dismissing public concerns, especially regarding the fight against corruption.
Furthermore, Musa pointed out that the ministerial list submitted to the senate indicates a setback in our anti-corruption progress since the restoration of democracy in 1999. One of the nominees is a former governor who has been internationally linked to aiding a former military leader in illicitly moving Nigeria’s wealth abroad. Equally concerning is the inclusion of a politician under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), serving in a leadership role within the National Assembly and overseeing anti-graft agencies, including the EFCC itself.
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CISLAC also criticized the reappointment of former governors and ministers who had previously demonstrated ineffective performance in their roles. The presence of individuals allegedly involved in corruption within key positions reveals a disregard for the public’s demand for transparent and responsible governance.
The statement underscored the potential damage to Nigeria’s global reputation, highlighting the negative consequences of activities such as money laundering, drug trafficking, and illicit arms distribution, which further exacerbate the country’s challenges including insecurity, poverty, deteriorating education, declining healthcare infrastructure, and erosion of ethical values.
CISLAC expressed deep concern that young Nigerians might not have positive role models among these allegedly corrupt leaders. The organization called upon citizens and well-intentioned Nigerians to take action and demand the institutionalization of transparency, accountability, and responsible leadership within our public offices.
