The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, through its Executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran, has urged the Federal Government to be more proactive in the fight to rid the country of corruption particularly in the three arms of government; that is the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary.
He said this while appreciating the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo for his acknowledging that indeed, there is corruption in all the arms of government; “Clearly, there is no doubt whatsoever that no arm of government can exonerate itself from corruption because the truth of the matter is that the problem is systemic in the country. As a matter of fact, any anti-corruption effort or efforts that cannot appreciate that killing corruption will require a system change; an overhaul of the subsisting intrinsically corrupt order will be best described as self-deceiving.”
The Acting President, speaking at the National Dialogue on Corruption organized by the Presidency in collaboration with the Presidential Action Committee Against Corruption, PACAC held between 2-3 March 2017 had publicly admitted that all the arms of government are involved in corruption at the event on held in Abuja.
Adeniran having applauded Osinbajo, for his bluntness, apparent honesty and sincerity however advised the Acting President and the Presidency to match words with actions toward expunging corruption out of the system. “It will amount to mere talk, if words don’t match with actions. But beyond honestly admitting to the reality that corruption is systemic in the country where no arm of government can be exonerated in its perpetration; the point is, what can be or what is going to be done concretely to confront the scourge?”
“Also, we must make the point that a lot depends on the Presidency itself as the body that superintends over the arms of government put together. The pro-activeness of the Presidency will give a lot of push in terms of galvanizing all the arms of government towards purging themselves of corruption using their own internal mechanisms. The buck invariably stops at the Presidency at the end of the day.”
“We hasten to add that the practical purging should begin with the presidency as this will create a situation of ‘going to equity with open arms’. And it will further vindicate the Federal government against the enemies of the anti-corruption drive who has continually insisted that the fight against corruption is one-sided and based on vendetta.” He concluded.
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at