Transparency International (TI) has called on the federal government to rescind the recent award to former Head of State, the late General Sanni Abacha.
TI in a statement issued yesterday, said it “deplores the action taken by the government of Nigeria to name the late president of Nigeria, General Sani Abacha, as a recipient of the country’s Centenary Awards.”
It thereby called on the government to rescind the award. The global anti-corruption movement said; “in his lifetime Gen. Abacha was investigated for corruption and human rights violations.”
Regional Director for Sub-Sahara Africa at Transparency International, Chantal Uwimana, said: “Honoring a person with a reputation for abusing his position of power for personal gain – the Transparency International definition of corruption – sends the wrong message about the priorities of a country like Nigeria which has claimed that fighting corruption is at the top of the government’s agenda.”
“Giving an award to a public official implicated in numerous acts of corruption contradicts Nigeria’s international commitments and obligations to stop corruption.
“I applaud those who have rejected their Centenary Awards in protest. They send a clear message that there are social consequences for honouring those who abused their positions of power by creating an embarrassing situation for those handing out the Centenary Award,” Uwimana added.
The federal government had last week defended the centenary award given to the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, saying that the award was not a glorification of corruption.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, who defended the posthumous award given to Abacha during Nigeria’s centenary celebration last week, said the award was not meant to celebrate moral virtues.
