Udora Orizu
The minority caucus in the House of Representatives yesterday expressed shock over the 2021 Transparency International (TI) report which ranked Nigeria as the second most corrupt country in West Africa and 154 out of 180 countries globally.
The group in a statement by its leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, stated that the TI report was a direct validation of its position that, “the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its government are hopelessly corrupt and lacking in ideas and programmes that would positively impact on the people.”
The Caucus said the TI report also validated the stance of the Minority Caucus that, “the APC is a sanctuary of corruption, which provides cover for its corrupt members to continue in looting national treasury; a development that has brought infrastructural stagnation and economic hardship in the country.”
The lawmakers while noting Nigeria’s continued decline in corruption rating since the APC took over in 2015, stated that it points to the fact that the situation and its attendant woes to Nigerians would continue to worsen as long as the APC remains in power.
It added: “Such proclivity for corruption is complemented by fake promises and false performance claims, which have been the stock-in-trade of the APC and its government.
“As representatives of the people, the Minority Caucus has intensified its checks mechanisms particularly in our strict monitoring of all provisions in the 2022 budget to ensure the delivery of all approved items.
“Furthermore, the minority caucus assures that it will never relent in fighting for the wellbeing of the people and urges Nigerians to remain focused in their determination to vote out the APC in 2023 and usher in a government that truly care.
