An Assessment of Politics in Anti Corruption Initiative in Nigeria

This paper critically examined the politics of the anti-corruption initiative to consider its influences on the anti-corruption war in Nigeria. Elite Theory was adopted as a framework while qualitative research design was used. Both primary and secondary data were collected. Primary data made use of Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) while secondary data were obtained from textbooks, newspapers, journals, Human Rights Watch and the Acts of the anti-corruption agencies. A total of twelve (12) KIIs were conducted with the scholars of anti-corruption and the officials of the anti-corruption agencies. The categories of people were purposively selected for the study due to their experience in anti-corruption studies in Nigeria. Data were subjected to thematic and content analyses. The study found that apart from witch-hunting political opponents, politicization turned the anti-corruption agencies into tools for forcing leadership change, brought about frequent changes in the leadership of the anti-corruption agencies, for the acquisition of legitimacy, select prosecution of corruption cases, etc. The paper concluded that politics largely determines what the agencies do, the laws they apply, their direction and legal tools. The paper recommended minimal political influence of politics in the anti-corruption initiative in Nigeria.