Presidency Fingers Obasanjo, Ezekwesili Over Nigeria’s Low Ranking On Corruption Index

President Muhammadu Buhari’s special assistant on social media, Lauretta Onochie, on Friday, fingered former president Olusegun Obasanjo and former minister, Oby Ezekwesili, in Nigeria’s drop by two places on Transparency International’s 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index.

Nigeria, which ranked 144 in the 2018 ranking, had slipped to 146 out of 180 countries in the new ranking released on Thursday.

Onochie, in a tweet on Friday, shared Obasanjo and Ezekwesili’s photo with the caption below.

“Here are the #AngryBirds who Founded Transparency International Should we listen to them? NO!”

“Should we lose sleep over their rating? NOPE! What should we do with their latest trash? BIN IT!”

The presidential aide added: “Reality is, the Buhari administration is making steady progress in the War Against Corruption. FACT! Nigerians on their part, are supporting the anti-corruption stance of the present admin.”

Meanwhile, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), had on behalf of the federal government faulted the corruption ranking of Nigeria by Transparency International.

Malami, who appeared on Channels TV’s LunchTime Politics on Thursday, said “In terms of the fight against corruption, we have been doing more, we have done more and we will continue to do more out of inherent conviction and desire on our part to fight against corruption devoid of any extraneous considerations relating to the rating by Transparency International.

“Our resolve to fight corruption is inherent and indeed devoid of any extraneous considerations, we will continue to do more and we will double efforts.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had similarly faulted the rating by Transparency International as baseless.

“We insist that the rating is a far cry from the evident strides and achievements so far accomplished by the anti-graft agency in the fight against corruption, particularly under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The claim is evidently not supported by any empirical data, especially when placed side-by-side with the remarkable achievements of the Commission in the past years,” the EFCC said.