The Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, distinguished between corruption by politicians and other individuals, stating that corruption in Nigerian politics is people-driven and should not be severely punished.
Ndume acknowledged that politicians often “steal and share with the people,” suggesting that this should not be considered serious corruption. He made these remarks during an appearance on Channels TV Politics Today while discussing the use of the death penalty as a deterrent for drug-related offenses.
He emphasized that compared to other forms of corruption, political corruption is relatively minor. He 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.”
Ndume expressed support for the death penalty for drug dealers, arguing that it is the most effective deterrent for such offenses. He stated, “The death penalty is the best deterrent for those being caught for 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 prescribed the death penalty for individuals convicted of trading in hard drugs and narcotics. However, this decision has sparked debate among stakeholders, including legal practitioners, regarding whether President Bola Tinubu should approve the bill.
Some legal experts have argued against the bill, stating that the death penalty is not a solution to drug trafficking and other drug-related offenses in the country.
