President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the perception that Nigeria’s corruption has worsened under his leadership is an overblown assessment with political undertones.

The President, who spoke Monday night in an interview with Aljazera, said despite the country’s position in the global corruption perception index, the perception that corruption has worsened under his administration is inaccurate.

In 2014, Transparency International ranked Nigeria was ranked 136th out of 175 countries and territories, with a score of 27.

According to TI, a country or territory’s score indicate the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).

The latest ranking, though better than its ranking of 144thout of 177 countries and territories, with a score of 25, recorded the previous year, still categorised Nigeria among some of the world’s most corrupt countries, including Cameroun, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon and Russia.

South Africa, ranked the second largest economy in Africa, fared far better, with a ranking of 67 and a score of 44.

Also, the Thabo Mbeki High Level Panel report on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa noted during the recent summit of the African Union Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa that Nigeria accounted for about 68.1 per cent of the cumulative revenue Africa lost between 2001 and 2010 through corruption and illegal transfers.

But the President insisted that even with Nigeria’s dismal anti-corruption record, both globally and in Africa, its perception both within and outside the country was blown out of proportion for political gains.
“Yes, people talk about corruption now, because it has become a political issue,” Mr. Jonathan said. “And when you promote something to the level of politics, normally it is blown out of proportion.

“Yes, we have corruption cases, no doubt about that. Yes, we have cases of people stealing, no doubt about that. I always said call a thief a thief. I am not saying that in Nigeria we do not have these elements of corruption, or stealing.

He cited the controversy triggered by claims by the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Lamido Sanusi, now the Emir of Kano, that $49.8 billion oil money was unremitted by state-owned national oil company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, between 2011 and 2012.

After various reconciliations by both the National Assembly, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the NNPC, the amount that remained unaccounted for was reduced to $20billion, but a forensic audit by PriceWater HouseCoopers ordered by government turned in a report in 2014 that government has refused to make public.

The President said he was yet to come to terms with what the real figures involved in the allegation were, apparently because of politics.

“If you start from my former CBN governor, who said initially that $49.8billion was missing. $49.8billion is a lot of money. What is the budget of this country for God’s sake? Our federal budget has been three point something trillion, that’s roughly on the average $18 to $20 billion a year.

“And you are saying we lost $49.8 billion. If we lose $49.8 billion, the federal and state governments will not pay salaries. I don’t know how he came by that figure.

“The next moment, he changed from $49.8billion to $12billion. The next day it was $20 billion. Up to this time, I don’t know which is the correct accusation,” he claimed.

According to the President, the Senate employed the services of financial consultants to probe the allegation, and it turned out that only about $2 billion was found not to have been properly balanced.

“There was no evidence to show that it was stolen, but just that it was not properly balanced,” he declared.
The President had in one of his media chats insisted that stealing is not corruption.

In another outing, he tried to explain further what he meant by “stealing is not corruption”.

He says most of what are perceived to be corruption in Nigeria are mere cases of petty stealing by officials.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/177847-nigeria-corruption-rating-political-overblown-jonathan.html

I thought he once said there is no corruption in Nigeria and all we had were petty stealing. Why then is he bothered about the ratung? Funny how everything with GEJ has a political undertone even research works too. It is either GEJ doesn't have an understanding of what he is talking about or he thinks the world at large are fools. He claimed Sanusi said 48.9b wasn't remitted, reconciliation shows it is 20b yet he doesn't want to make the pwc forensic audit report public.

GboyegaD:
Everything with GEJ has a political undertone even research works too.

he just won't take blame for anything.

He doesn't know "Leadership isn't about making excuses when things go wrong. Its about taking responsibilities"

Ok

midolian:
he just won't take blame for anything.

He doesn't know "Leadership isn't about making excuses when things go wrong. Its about taking responsibilities"

That's the funny part. He's never taken responsibility for anything under his aadministration.

I would av been surprised if the clueless one agreed. As usual, any bad thing in his government is cause by opposition. I can't wait to kick his butt outta office.

Peace be with you my fellow comment reaader's...

Oga Jona pls tell them.
APC stop politicizing everything.
I'll rather dig grave,call my friends and neighbours and give my PVC a befitting burial than vote for Mallam Buhari.
GEJ 2019

[b]
“Yes, we have corruption cases, no doubt about that. Yes,
we have cases of people stealing, no doubt about that. I
always said call a thief a thief. I am not saying that in
Nigeria we do not have these elements of corruption, or
stealing.
He cited the controversy triggered by claims by the former
Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Lamido Sanusi, now the
Emir of Kano, that $49.8 billion oil money was unremitted
by state-owned national oil company, the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation, between 2011 and 2012.
After various reconciliations by both the National
Assembly, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the NNPC,
the amount that remained unaccounted for was reduced to
$20billion, but a forensic audit by PriceWater
HouseCoopers ordered by government turned in a report in
2014 that government has refused to make public.





why is it so difficult for Mr president to make the report a public? I thought this man said he signed freedom of information?

ALL IZZ WELL[/b]

Mr Man it isn't. There should be no cases of corruption sef at all. All those thieves should be rotting in jail right now if not for your weakness to fight corruption.

....




nairaland app rocks









THOUGH GEJ HAS SHORT CUMMINGS
BUH SUMFIN KEEPS TELLIN MHE BUHARI IS NT D MESSAIH(Saviour)


VOTE prof SONAIYA

There is one thing I noticed,this guy is still trying to separate stealing from corruption

Oga Jonathan in your wife voice* diaris God oo*

but u are also part of the corrupt people na mr Otuoke

Mr Goodluck Ebele Yawnathan,
abeg shut up,
i know you have enough shoes now,
so no more grass to grace stories man,
You have stolen enough to last you and mama peace for the next 100yrs,
you will lose this election and u will go to jail

Anytime you are frustrated,just listen to Jonathan or his wife talk.....comic relief....Thank me later

- Pastor: It shall be permanent in your life.
-Cripple: God Forbid!

This man keeps defending the massive corruption is his government.

Jonathan is corruption personified

space booked

propagated by ur Government

I believe him

Yeah its overblown just like his so-called Transformation Agenda

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It amazes me when he (GEJ) calls $2billion only.. With 2billion USD missing, its not corruption but 'stealing'. We don't want anymore of ur 'stealing' .

Sai Buhari

[size=18pt] Beg Obasanjo, Drop Your Ambition- Femi-Fani Kayode To Jonathan
http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/news/pdp-war-beg-obasanjo-drop-your-ambition-femi-fani-kayode-to-jonathan/[/size]

And this is a president one expects to nip corruption in the bud.

I weep for my country.

estimate 50billion to 12billion from 12billion to 20billion, but to be sincere sanusi lamido was inaccurate in the first place;how can you say 49billion is missing, when he know the country budget for christ sake..... Now apc are using two things to campaign i.e corruption and insecurity. But mine you corruption do not start in gej era and security issue got worsen last year. Every body know the issue of our government trying to get weapons and usa refuse. So point putting the blame on gej when you know many of nigeria elder do not co-operate to help him sort it out.

This is one of johnny's problems. He will never face reality. He terms everything 'political', 'work of the enemies/opposition', etc...
Nigeria was corrupt before you, but became extremely corrupt under you, because of your body language to combating corruption.
Even if TI and other bodies didn't come out with the rating, we are not all blind to what is happening around us - NNPC, Prisons reform, NFA house, NIS, Oil Subsidy, the list is endless!

Stop trading blames and get busy with what the works of a President should be please...

When the CBN chairman goes on business news networks to accuse his country's primary oil company of stealing or not accounting for $49.8B, why are we surprise everybody in the world thinks Nigeria is made up of only corrupt people.