The Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, recently explained the distinction between corruption by politicians and other individuals, emphasizing that corruption in Nigerian politics is driven by people and should not warrant severe punishment.
Ndume admitted that politicians “steal and share with the people,” asserting that this makes political corruption relatively minor. He made these comments on Tuesday during a television program discussing the death penalty as a deterrent for drug-related crimes.
Comparing political corruption to other forms, Ndume stated, “If you compare us, politicians, to all the corruption, it is very small. Our corruption is people-driven. If you steal it, you will go and share it with the people. If you don’t, you are not coming back for four years. There is no reason for stealing. I have been to the National Assembly, and I can’t say because we are on TV now and not tell the truth. If the death penalty is supposed to be included in corruption, I will support it, but you don’t go and kill someone who stole one million or one billion, no. But someone who steals one trillion of government money should be killed.”
Ndume expressed strong support for the death penalty for drug dealers, stating, “The death penalty is the best deterrent for those being caught with drugs. If you do drugs, you are killing people. In fact, that means you have destroyed the lives of so many people and killed so many people.”
Recently, the Senate passed the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act (Amendment Bill) 2024, which prescribes the death penalty for individuals found guilty of trading in hard drugs and narcotics. This bill has sparked debate among stakeholders on whether President Bola Tinubu should assent to it.
On Saturday, various legal practitioners expressed differing opinions on the bill. Some urged President Tinubu not to sign it into law, arguing that the death penalty is not a solution to drug trafficking and related offenses. Others pressed for the bill to be enacted, believing it would serve as a strong deterrent against the drug trade in Nigeria.
