FG will remain resolute in anti-corruption fight despite challenges, says Osinbajo

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday said the Federal Government would remain resolute in its fight against corruption in spite of the daunting challenges. Osinbajo said this in Lagos at the 5th Annual Christopher Kolade Lecture on Business Integrity titled: ‘Prevention is better than Cure even on the Issue of Corruption.’

The lecture was organised by the Integrity Organisation Limited, an anti-corruption, research and advocacy organisation concerned with public accountability and transparency.

He restated that the country must ensure that corruption is prosecuted, adding that in the last two years, there have been many cases of persons accused of corruption who have been taken to the courts.

“We have a hardworking and courageous team as most of our law enforcement agencies and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have worked commendably despite daunting challenges.

“Of course they are not perfect and there are several complaints, but what is obvious is that they have focused on the work of investigation and prosecution and in fact, very few convictions and there are several reasons for that,” he stated.

Osinbajo added that the most notorious of the complaints were the delays in administration of justice system mainly caused, sometimes by lawyers whose defence strategy is delayed.

“Often, Judges have indulged these tactics by not taking firm control of their courts and witnesses being cross-examined for over a month.

“An important lesson for any society that hopes to fight a successful war against systemic corruption is that corruption will fight back viciously, using every means possible, and sometimes, using the very constitutions that are created to fight it,” he added.

He pointed out that Nigeria had experienced and continued to experience that but the antidote is single-minded commitment.