The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Transparency International (TI) Nigeria have publicly expressed profound concern over the appointment of individuals with alleged corruption charges and questionable integrity into positions of authority.

These positions span across political parties, as well as executive and legislative branches of government.

CISLAC in a statement on Saturday by its Executive Director, Auwal Ibrahim Musa, worried that such ill-advised appointments could demoralize anti-corruption agencies nationwide.

CISLAC and TI Nigeria strongly criticized the situation in which an individual, who faces serious corruption allegations, is given the role of leading a ruling political party. This is happening even as investigations into these individuals are ongoing at both state and federal levels.

Both organizations have voiced their disappointment that some of the nominees proposed by the president to the National Assembly for ministerial roles are currently facing corruption-related investigations by anti-corruption bodies.

According to CISLAC, this could portray the president as unconcerned about integrity in governance, dismissing public outrage over critical issues, particularly the fight against corruption.

“The ministerial list provided to the senate suggests a regression in our anti-corruption advancements since the reinstatement of democracy in 1999.

“One of the nominees on the list is a former governor, internationally implicated in aiding a former military leader to launder Nigeria’s wealth overseas.

“Equally alarming is the case of a politician, under investigation by the Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), serving in a leadership position within the National Assembly and overseeing anti-graft agencies, including the EFCC itself. The organizations also criticized the reappointment of former governors and ministers who have previously failed in their roles.

“This collection of allegedly corrupt individuals in key positions shows a disregard from the President for public calls for responsible governance.

“Nigeria’s global reputation could face serious harm, with the detrimental impact of activities such as money laundering, drug trafficking, and illegal arms distribution further exacerbating the country’s insecurity, poverty, educational collapse, healthcare infrastructure decline, and eroding ethical values,” the communique partly read.

CISLAC and TI Nigeria lamented the damaging example set for the younger generation by these allegedly corrupt leaders and called on citizens and well-intentioned Nigerians to demand the institutionalization of transparency, accountability, and responsible leadership in public offices. (Channels TV: Text, Excluding Headline)

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