13/09/2016
A STUDY OF POLITICAL CORRUPTION - Corruption can only be defined where there is a consensus on what should constitute the ideals of the society. Political corruption is a general term for the misuse of public position of trust for private gain. Encyclopedia Americana defines political corruption as: "......the illegal pursuit or misuse of public office. Electoral corruption includes purchase of votes with money, promises of office or special favour, coercion, intimidation, and interference with freedom of election.
Corruption in office involves sales of legislative votes, administrative or judicial decision or governmental appointment. Disguised payment in form of gifts, legal fees, employment, favour to relatives, social influence, or any relationship that sacrifices the public interest and welfare, with or without the implied payment of money - is usually considered corrupt."
From the above, it can be said that all players in our democracy, the office seekers, politicians, the electorates,the electoral commission officials, our various security agencies, the press and judiciary are collaborators in the corruption that has eaten deep into our national psyche. Yet, many of us do point accusing fingers to the politicians alone. If the politicians offer money to buy our votes, why do we have to collect it? When the office seekers offer bribe to INEC officials for undue advantage over other candidates, why not reject it if they are not aiding corruption? What about the press that will only report what the politicians want them to publish in the face of serious abuses? Our judiciary is not left out. Look at various judgements that have been delivered so far on the cases involving Ali Modu Sheriff and Markafi factions of PDP. Our security agencies are even worst of. I could recollect my experience in the last year legislative election in Ondo State. I reported to the police officers attached to my polling unit how some agents of a PDP were openly sharing money to electorates to vote and show them where they thumb printed before coming to collect N1,000. Some voters even boasted that they would not vote until a particular aspirant grease their palm with money. Whereas, they are selling their inalienable right, the right of choice. So,the police officers told me clearly that I should come and share my own money. Sharing money on queue became an acceptable conduct at voting centres just 'cos the officers have been compromised. Are they not part of this corrupt nation we are talking about?
We all heard what transpired at the just concluded APC governorship primaries election held very recently in Ondo State. How the so called delegates turned the Governorship aspirants to money spinning machines. How on earth will the outcome of such highly compromised process reflects the yearnings and aspirations of vast majority of members of the party? I leave the rest for posterity.
If Nigeria must get it right, all of us without exception must be prepared to be upright and do what is just. A Governorship candidate that spent almost a billion Naira before he could emerge as candidate of a political party, we can now begin to imagine how many billions he will have to spend before winning the general election. Will any right thinking person blame such a Governor when he starts to recoup his investment at the expense of social amenities and infrastructural decays? This is where we use to get it wrong.
Think twice before you accuse anybody of corruption 'cos you too are corrupt. The degree of your corruption is directly proportion to the privilege you have. I am not justifying corruption or corrupt acts with this write-up but rather using this to call for good conscience by all. We should forgo corruption if Nigeria must get it right and move forward. There is no small corruption. Corruption is corruption.
Let me leave you with one of the judgements of Jesus Christ to His disciples in the Bible when the disciples accused a woman of committing adultery. Jesus told His disciples that any of them that have not committed a sin should cast the first stone. None could. They all went away in shame. Goodmorning Nigerians.
