Mr. Ayoola Lawal, the former Secretary of the Committee of APC Diaspora Chairmen, has expressed strong disapproval of the recent inclusion of President Bola Tinubu in the corruption rankings released by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).
In a statement, Lawal, who previously served as the Chairman of the APC in Scandinavian countries, questioned the fairness and rationale behind the ranking that labeled Tinubu among the most corrupt leaders globally for 2024.
He deemed the classification as “unwarranted” and “without merit,” asserting that many accusations cited against Tinubu were historical in nature and had not been substantiated in any court proceedings.
“It is astonishing that Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, is being evaluated based on allegations that predate his presidency and remain unproven,” Lawal stated. “The OCCRP’s choice to include him in this ranking seems more driven by perception rather than validated evidence.”
Lawal further argued that the ranking overlooked Tinubu’s current leadership and his significant policy initiatives, which he characterized as bold and aimed at economic reform. He acknowledged that while some of Tinubu’s policies have generated public debate, they should not overshadow his commitment to tackling Nigeria’s urgent issues.
“One would expect the OCCRP to concentrate on leaders whose actions during their tenure have definitively eroded public trust through corruption,” he remarked. “Pointing fingers at President Tinubu with unresolved historical allegations not only undermines his leadership but also damages Nigeria’s reputation internationally.”
He called on the OCCRP to establish clearer criteria for its rankings and to avoid what he referred to as “selective judgment” that could negatively impact the perception of developing countries.
Lawal encouraged Nigerians to focus on holding their leaders accountable through constructive dialogue and democratic means, rather than relying on contentious rankings that may reflect bias.
