Prof. Attahiru Jega discloses that certain Nigerian lawmakers pressured officials to manipulate budget allocations, shedding light on governance issues within the system.
During a Wednesday keynote address at the Anti-Corruption Training for Norm and Behaviour Change in Abuja, Attahiru Jega, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), recounted his experiences with members of the National Assembly pressuring public officials to alter national budgets for their personal benefit.
At an event hosted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Jega characterized corruption in the public sector as a “major obstacle” to Nigeria’s development.
He expressed criticism of the excessive pressures experienced by leading government officials, especially from the legislative branch, highlighting that such actions obstruct progress and weaken the nation’s governance.
“There are individuals—possibly even legislators present here—but I want to state categorically that they place people in very challenging situations when trying to perform their duties, even with the right intentions,” he said.
He remembered how certain legislators tried to sway budget allocations and secure contracts, thereby undermining the public officials’ attempts to uphold integrity.
Looking back on his tenure at INEC, he characterized it as a “trial of endurance,” highlighting the ongoing pressure from lawmakers to influence the agency’s budget and contracts.
“Enduring these pressures necessitated resilience,” he stated. “It’s crucial to steer clear of weaknesses that could be manipulated into compliance.”
He additionally condemned the pervasive culture of corruption present in various government branches and advocated for institutional reforms.
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The National Assembly has frequently been implicated in numerous corruption scandals related to budget manipulations over the years.
The management of constituency projects is a widespread and frequent example of this.
A collection of ICPC reports has revealed that members of the National Assembly, in collusion with government agencies, have been misusing public funds by inflating the national budget for constituency projects. Many of these projects are either poorly executed or not completed at all.
Reports from ICPC’s constituency project tracking have uncovered a series of alleged violations by federal lawmakers, involving the collusion of certain officials within the executing ministries, departments, and agencies of the federal government.
Bolaji Owasanoye, the former ICPC Chairman, stated in a report that by 2019, approximately N2 trillion had been allocated to zonal intervention projects, also known as constituency projects, since 2000.
He added that despite the substantial releases, citizens persistently voiced concerns about projects in their area being “poorly completed, not finished at all, or entirely non-existent.”
Mr. Jega highlighted the importance of effective leadership in tackling widespread corruption.
