A case for strong institutions (1)
All men of goodwill who look forward to a more progressive and equitable world appreciate the tremendous good Transparency International (TI) does with its periodic verdict on nations and institutions across the globe. Sometimes I just wonder what our world would look like without watchdogs like TI that continually remind us about the way we are.
Recently, TI released the 2013 Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) and rated political parties and the Nigeria Police as the most corrupt institutions in Nigeria. TI’s 2013 GCB is a product of interviews with a total number of 114,000 respondents across 107 countries between September 2012 and March 2013. The Berlin-based organisation said the primary aim of the 2013 GCB report was to explore respondents’ personal experiences of paying bribes for government services on one hand, and to gauge perception of the integrity of major public institutions on the other. There is also TI’s desire towards a better understanding of the willingness and disposition of citizens in countries under review to fight corruption.
From TI’s investigation, Nigeria is among the 88 countries where anti-corruption effort is ineffectual. This verdict is ominous. Yet it has not provided leads or talking points in our media. This important issue was merely reported and left alone. I am sure I did not see follow-ups. So why are we not paying the needed attention to this uncomplimentary report which has the capacity of stalling our investment drive and growth efforts?
If corruption is any abuse of a position of trust, either by an individual or an institution, to gain an unfair advantage, then this report by TI is incontrovertible. I know corruption has many layers but this report reminds me again of some of our nation’s recent experiences that are not only irritating but reprehensible and regrettable.
Two institutions that characterise the existence and flourishing of democracy in any country are the party system and the institution of parliament. If political parties carry the moral burden of being the den of corruption, then it is right to conclude that our democracy is sick. The other institution that shapes the growth of democracy is the police, the institution that helps primarily in the maintenance of law and order in a purely democratic setting. This institution has been described in the TI report as the bastion of corruption with no ray of hope. If these two institutions (political parties and the police) that I consider most critical to the growth and survival of democracy and our country Nigeria have been described in such very uncomplimentary terms by TI GCB report, then where lies our hope?
Have our political parties derailed from their lofty objective of seeking to influence or entirely control government course of action usually by putting forward candidates with aligned political views? Your guess is as good as mine. But I hate to think like a few of our compatriots who are of the opinion that Nigeria is in reverse gear. Of late, I just noticed that some of us are becoming more romantic about our past republics, particularly the Second Republic politics. Despite the shortcomings of that era, it still remains one of the most colourful and vibrant republics, that is, if the focus is on political parties. Many still remember principal characters of that era like Augustus Meredith Adisa Akinloye, national chairman of National Party of Nigeria (NPN), and how he and his colleagues at the commanding heights of NPN leadership held sway on every party issue. At the time, Shehu Shagari was a member of NPN and president of Nigeria, yet he submitted himself to party rules and regulations. All that changed with the emergence of Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 and, as they say, the rest is history.
Today, political parties are extensions of individuals’ or group’s personal estates. There is complete absence of principles, discipline, solidarity, group interest and camaraderie. A party member could be sanctioned at the flimsiest of excuses. While some have been suspended for their perceived popularity, others have suffered similar fates either for fraternising with members of other parties or for holding a different view. At the bottom of the scramble we see in our parties is the desire to hijack party machinery for personal and selfish gains, and corruption is always the destination.
Yes, abuse of position of trust is corruption and this is prevalent in our parties. Nigeria’s political parties must therefore look inwards and seek ways of ensuring that there is a level playing ground for every member. And to avoid a repeat of such an unflattering report in future like this one from TI, our parties must return to their traditional roles of seeking to influence government through their members with aligned political views. They must also stop forthwith all forms of witch-hunt and intimidation against vocal members and perceived enemies. For the Nigeria Police, I am not under any illusions, it is a long walk. TI’s verdict, therefore, is something that is already known to Nigerians. The police force represents everything but the same purpose it is meant to serve.
Peterside represents Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. He is chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources, Downstream.
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