Corruption pulling Nigeria backward – PDP chieftain

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Dr Jelili Akinola, has described corruption as the biggest obstacle holding Nigeria back.
Akinola made the assertion while assessing 27 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Thursday.

He said that decades of democratic governance in Nigeria have been a mix of progress and missed opportunities due to the high rate of corruption.

According to him, decades of mismanagement and diversion of public funds have slowed growth in road infrastructure, healthcare, education and other sectors across the country.

He maintained that the nation has recorded significant achievements compared to the state of affairs before 1999.

“But the way public funds keep disappearing into private pockets is hindering the nation’s progress,” Akinola said.

The PDP chieftain urged the federal government to strengthen institutions such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Code of Conduct Bureau.

He also called for the non-selective prosecution of corrupt officials.

According to him, political will and transparency in governance remain critical if Nigeria is to meet its development goals.

The PDP chieftain also called on citizens to demand accountability from elected leaders, adding that voter apathy during elections creates room for bad governance.

He noted that development starts with honest leadership and a people who refuse to accept excuses for stolen money.

Akinola said that though democratic consolidation since 1999 has been uneven, it has made irreversible progress when compared with the era of military rule.

According to him, the biggest gain since the return to civilian rule is the culture of regular elections and peaceful transfer of power.

“Since 1999, we have moved from one civilian government to another without military interruption. That alone is consolidation.

“Nigerians now expect elections every four years, and that expectation was not there before,” he said.

Akinola, however, noted that the quality of democracy remains weak.

He urged the National Orientation Agency to launch nationwide campaigns to encourage citizens to shun corruption and embrace patriotism.

Akinola also advised Nigerian leaders to lead by example and govern the country with the fear of God.

The PDP chieftain further called for collaborative efforts to address the security challenges confronting the nation, noting that no meaningful development can be achieved in the face of insecurity.

NAN