Anti-corruption Lessons From China

The Chinese government has confirmed, yet again, its abhorrence of any act of corruption, just as it demonstrated its determination to deal with the societal scourge regardless of who is involved. Recently, it sentenced its former domestic security chief, Zhou Yongkang to life imprisonment, after he was tried and found guilty of bribery, leaking state secrets and abuse of power. The scandal was sensational, even as the trial was held in secret. Zhou, in submitting to the verdict said, “I admit my guilt and I’m penitent.” Media reports claim he is the most senior Chinese official to be ensnared in a graft scandal since 1949. Whatever the case, it underscores the Chinese government’s commitment to rid that society of undesirable elements, no matter how highly placed. If Zhou were a Nigerian, the case would have died a natural death, just by virtue of the official standing of the culprit.

In our opinion, what happened in China should be a guide for the Nigerian government, especially President Muhammadu Buhari, who rode on the crest of his anti-corruption mantra to popularity and electoral victory. Before him, impunity was the order of the day, as government officials and high-ranking politicians looted the public treasury brazenly and got away with it. Since the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was set up, it has been on the trail of some public office holders who siphoned public funds into their piggybanks. Most of these officers, on leaving office, use the money they stole to fight efforts to arrest, try and punish them. In all such cases, they shamelessly get away with the obvious obstruction of justice and when they are eventually arrested and put on trial, they succeed in escaping with a mere slap on the wrist. In heart-rending cases, they recycle themselves in public offices, using the stolen money to buy electoral victory as if to dare the rest of the populace to do their worst.

We point out that the notable thing about what happened in China is that the official in question is a former public servant. In Nigeria, there are many former office holders with soiled hands who must be made to answer for their sordid past. It will not be enough for the president, in his drive to stem the tide of corruption, to focus only on those serving under him. That, we admit, will be commendable if it succeeds, but we urge the new administration to channel greater effort towards punishing those who ate our corn and threw the chaff into our eyes. We are not oblivious of the daunting challenge the anti-corruption campaign may pose, given the political clout of some of these people and their propensity to pull powerful strings. Still, we are convinced that the China example is possible in Nigeria. Its lessons must be learnt, internalised and replicated.