The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has attributed the prevalence of corruption in Nigeria to weak institutions.
He emphasized that to curb corruption, the nation’s democratic institutions must be fortified to prevent practices that foster corruption.
Speaking at a high-level meeting organized by the Kukah Centre in collaboration with the European Union in Abuja, Ganduje urged citizens to stop blaming politicians for embezzling public funds. He pointed out that the system, which requires politicians to raise significant amounts of money before assuming office, should be held accountable instead.
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“The major problems we have are those of weak institutions,” Ganduje said. “Unless we break that vicious circle to make our institutions strong, we are just leaving the politicians to do anything.”
Ganduje, the former governor of Kano State, noted that political parties are operating with weak instruments, allowing corruption to flourish. “Political parties are weak, and because of the weak institutions, corruption thrives,” he stated.
He also called out voters for their role in perpetuating corruption, citing instances of vote-buying. “Some voters carry their voter’s card and insist that unless they are paid, they won’t cast their votes. That is vote buying,” he said.
Ganduje highlighted the need for a comprehensive approach to address corruption. “Unless you x-ray all these institutions, we may not get to the root issue. So we have to develop strong institutions,” he asserted.
Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Catholic Archdiocese also spoke at the event, appealing for collective action against corruption. “Institutions are weak when a country doesn’t have a vision,” Kukah said. He emphasized that institutions must reflect the aspirations and values of the people and called for a collective effort to uphold institutional integrity.
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), lamented the lack of adherence to internal democracy within political parties. Speaking through his representative, Yakubu noted that political parties often disregard established laws and guidelines. “Political parties are functioning without regard to the established laws,” he said.
Yakubu criticized the management practices of political parties, noting that they often appoint unqualified individuals to key positions. “Sometimes, we send notices to political parties to say that we want to train the national organizing secretary or treasurer, and they send just anybody!” he said.
The high-level meeting featured discussions on strengthening political parties and democratic institutions in Nigeria. The event was a follow-up to the public presentation of the Needs Assessment of Political Parties in Nigeria by the Kukah Centre in December 2023. The assessment aimed to identify challenges faced by political parties and opportunities for improvement.
