Politicians embezzle public money because they spend a lot to get into office–Ganduje, APC National Chairman

National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje,has blamed weak institutions for corruption in Nigeria.

He explained that for corruption to be brought down to its lowest ebb,the nation’s democratic institutions must be strengthened to resist actions that pave way for emergence of corruption.

Ganduje particularly asked citizens to stop blaming politicians for embezzling public funds, saying the system which tasked them to provide certain amounts before getting to their supposed offices be rather held responsible.

He spoke just as Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah,the Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Achdiocese,appealed to Nigeyians for a collective actions against corruption in the nation’s democratic system.

Few years ago Ganduje as Kano State governor was caught on camera stuffing crisp dollar note into his overflowing aagbada cloth. The money is said to be bribe he collected from one of contractors.

On his part the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu,regretted that political parties were violating laid down rules aimed at strengthening internal democracy within the party structures.

They spoke variously during the High Level Meeting with national executives of political parties and other stakeholders,organised by The Kukah Centre ,in collaboration with the European Union,EU,in Abuja, yesterday.

Ganduje,who thanked The Kukah Centre for organising the dialogue aimed at making political parties knowledge driven, expressed optimism that the dialogue would strengthen the nation’s democratic institutions to function well.

“I think that the major problems we have is that of weak institutions, because we are just going on a vicious circle of weak institutions and unless we break that vicious circle to make our institutions strong ,we are just leaving the politicians to do anything,”he said.

The immediate past governor of Kano State,who also noted that political parties were operating with weak political instruments, regretted that the development was allowing corruption to thrive in political offices.

“Political parties are weak and because of the weak institutions, corruption thrives

“Let us stop blaming the politicians.do they win elections free? Even the security that oversees election at the polling booth,are they free?” He asked.

The politician said voters must also be blamed for their actions which he noted,encourge corruption in offices.

“Some voters carry their voters card and insist that unless they are paid,they won’t cast their votes.That is vote buying.

“Yes,the politicians embezzle public funds but did you ask them how much they spent to get to that office? Did you ask them how much they spent to come in and how much they spend for the sustainability of that office?

Unless you x-ray all these institutions,we may not get to the root issue. So we have to develop strong instructions,”he said.

According to him,if for instance a minister is charged and jialed for corruption, leaving the accounting officer who released the money and the persons that issue the memo free is injustice to the accused.

“A minister is jailed for embezzling money but did we follow the system how he got the money? Where is the due process? Did he follow the due process? Where is the accountant? Is the person who wrote the memo jailed,too? He asked.

Bishop Kukah,on his part,noted that “institutions are weak when a country doesn’t have a vision.”

Noting that ,”It’s somebody’s vision and dream to have a strong institutions, the Bishop said:”
I think we overflood ourselves when we begin to compare ourselves with what is happening elsewhere .”

” We are right to compare what is happening elsewhere but we are wrong to assume or to pity ourselves for not having the same institutions, because what you see ,whether it’s Downing Street, whether it’s the White House,this is the efforts of one generation transferring it to the next generation. So, whether it’s the judiciary, whether it’s the bureaucracy, it’s a work in progress.So,the most important thing is, for us to learn the mistakes of the past and then develop the mechanism to ensure that things don’t continue to repeat themselves,”he added.

According to him,”Institutions are supposed to be a mirror, reflecting the aspirations,the fears,the hopes and anxiety of an entire people. “

“That means that for the police to become an institution, for the bureaucracy to become an institution,Nigerians must collectively and individually learn to say no to things going contrary to the principles of that institutions.

So I think it’s everybody’s business really, it’s everybody’s business,”he added.

NEC Chairman,Prof Mahmood Yakubu, lamented the non adherence to guidance of political party management by their executives.

Speaking through his representative and the Director of Election and Party Monitoring,Prof Yakubu,who noted that both INEC and political parties,established by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are supposed to work in compliance with Chapter Two of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, regretted that political parties were functioning without regards to the established laws.

“Political parties, basically as established, should be sure that their constitutions are in compliance with these provisions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as the manifesto which is the guiding principles of each of the political parties .

“The commission on its own,is supposed to monitor the organisation, operation and management of these political parties

“Several decisions have come up from the courts that the management of political parties is strictly the affairs of political parties. The court has not told us why or explained further which is basically from the constitution that gives the political parties the power from Section 221 that no association should function as a political party except a political party.

“The political parties are registered in accordance with the constitution and the management of the political parties comes through the conventions and congresses of the parties where they elect their members and it is these executive members that should manage the affairs of the political parties.

“The priority of the political party should be among the executives- the chairman who chairs,the auditor who audits,the financial secretary who is supposed to take care of the funds, you have the woman leader,the youth leader,and every other office that is supposed to be ,to manage operations of the party.

“However,the political parties as you see them today, don’t allow other officers to function as it is designated in that office. You find out that some political parties appoint someone not being a lawyer as their National Legal Adviser , you find a treasurer or accountant not being an accountant by profession . Sometimes,we send notices to political parties to say that we want to train the national organising secretary or treasurer and they send just anybody!

“At the point of reporting on that issue,maybe the auditing of the finances for the year or after election,as provided in the laws, you find the forms not properly filled. Recently,we had some problems of reporting to the public.

“NEC is supposed to report the position of finance spent during elections,but it is so difficult because what we got from political parties is not something that should be made public so we won’t be laughed at. So naturally,the priority of political parties should be complying to the laws,”he said.

The event’s panel session,moderated by Bishop Kukah,featured renowned Professor of Political Science, University of Jos,Ogoh Alubo; National Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council,IPAC, Alhaji Yusuf Dantalle and Prof.Okay Ikechukwu, Executive Director, Development Spec

The High-Level Meeting with National Leaders of Political Parties,was a fallouts from the public presentation of the Needs Assessment of Political Parties in Nigeria,held by the Kukah Centre on December 5,2023.

The assessment sought to understand the challenges faced by political parties, elucidate emerging
issues in their operations and identify the opportunities to address them towards strengthening their management and operations.

“Following this public presentation, it is imperative to commence conversations at the highest level of party leadership, on the most appropriate ways to systematically address the identified gaps,”The Kukah Centre explained.