The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has said that the rating of Nigeria by Transparency International has further confirmed their earlier stand that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is hopelessly corrupt.
Nigeria’s current 154 ranking out of 180 countries in the 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index is a drop of 149 in the 2020 index.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Reps Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, said he is alarmed that Nigeria is ranked as the second most corrupt country in West Africa and 154 out of 180 countries globally.
Elumelu accused the APC-led Federal Government of lacking in ideas and programmes that would positively impact Nigerians.
“The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives is alarmed over the report of the 2021 Transparency International (TI) which ranks Nigeria as the second most corrupt country in West Africa and 154 out of 180 countries globally,” the statement read.
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“The TI report is a direct validation of the position of the Minority Caucus that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its government are hopelessly corrupt and lacking in ideas and programmes that would positively impact on our people.
“The TI Report also validates 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 our national treasury; a development that has brought infrastructural stagnation and economic hardship in the country.
“Moreover, the Minority Caucus notes Nigeria’s continued decline in corruption rating since the APC took over in 2015. This points to the fact that the situation and its attendant woes to Nigerians will continue to worsen as long as the APC remains in power.
“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 cares for their interest.”