Yes, Politicians Embezzle Money. Did You Ask How Much They Spend To Get To Office? – Umar Ganduje

The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has acknowledged that public funds are often embezzled by politicians due to the large amounts of money they spend to get into office. He attributed Nigeria’s ongoing corruption issues to inadequate institutions.

In a report by Vanguard, Ganduje emphasized that to combat corruption effectively, Nigeria’s democratic institutions need to be strengthened to prevent acts that encourage corruption. He urged people to focus on the systemic issues requiring politicians to contribute significant sums of money before assuming office rather than solely condemning them for embezzlement.

During a high-level meeting with representatives from the European Union, the Kukah Center, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Catholic Archdiocese, and other stakeholders, Ganduje discussed coordinated efforts to fight corruption. He expressed hope that these discussions would help advance democratic institutions and recognized the Kukah Center’s role in fostering conversations to raise political party awareness.

Ganduje pointed out that merely addressing politicians’ behavior without improving institutions would not solve the problem, as weak institutions perpetuate a cycle of corruption. He noted that political parties continue to tolerate corruption due to the use of inadequate political tools in their operations. He also highlighted that some voters participate in vote-buying by demanding money before casting their ballots, which further contributes to corruption.

During an interview with The Vanguard, Ganduje remarked, “Yes, the politicians embezzle public funds, but did you ask them how much they spent to get to that office? Did you ask them how much they spent to come in and how much they spend for the sustainability of that office?…..See_More