Corruption: Nigeria Needs A Leader With Scare Factor – El-Rufai

elrufaiFormer FCT Minister, Malam Nasir el-Rufa’i has said that corruption and looting of public funds by public officials in Nigeria is now carried out openly to the extent that every Nigerian is aware.

Speaking at the London signing of his book, ‘The Accidental Public Servant,’ el-Rufa’i said the high level of corruption in the society was a reflection of the on-going in government; adding that the atrocities perpetrated by officials are “as open as the naked emperor.”

He said that just like it is easy to steal, it would also be easy to recover what is stolen if those in charge are serious about it, pointing out that most of the looted funds are now stashed in Nigeria “in pillow cases or beds” or used to buy expensive property in Abuja and other cities.

The outspoken el-Rufai added that Nigeria “needs a leader with scare factor” that would send strong anti-corruption signals to the people, stressing that Nigerians always look up to their leaders and copy whatever their leaders do.

On his book which has generated a whole lot of controversy, el-Rufa’i blamed the controversy on the fact that it was “too honest” especially for those still in service that would have liked to be portrayed as perfectly as possible.

“As human beings, we are not perfect” he said. “We have our failings and make mistakes and get some things rights. I tried to tell a balanced story about my years in government,” adding that he didn’t expect everyone to be happy with the book.

He, however, lamented that most of the knocks he received as a result of the book were attacks on his person, not on the book, but stated that such was not new to him.