I rather work alone than with a corrupt person – Sagay SAN

Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against
Corruption, PACAC, Prof. Itse Sagay, SAN, has declared that he
prefers to work alone on a task than work with corrupt people.

He asserted that before someone could speak against corruption,
such persons must purge themselves of the vice.

He made this assertion at a Dialogue of Organs of Government on
Reform of Justice Sector and Campaign Against corruption, jointly
organised by PACAC and the Federal Ministry of Justice, with the
theme: ‘The imperative of cooperation of arms of government in a
democratic dispensation’.

Speaking at the event, which held on Tuesday, Sagay insisted
that paying lip service to the fight against corruption ridiculed
the whole exercise, but pointed out that a repentant corrupt person
was welcomed to join the fight against graft.

According to Sagay, “Fighting corruption cannot be lip service.
You cannot be corrupt and be talking against corruption, it
ridicules the whole exercise and the spirit of that struggle.

“And so we should purge ourselves of corruption so that we can
stand on firm ground to speak. Some might have been corrupt in the
past but if you purge yourselves then you are welcome. It ridicules
the whole process when we see people waxing lyrical on
anti-corruption whereas behind them, they have huge load of assets
and other things which they corruptly acquired.

“So, collaboration and cooperation is essential because we need
each other in order to succeed. But I think I will rather work
alone than work with a corrupt person who is not sincere and is
just making a fool of the whole country whilst preaching like a
pastor about corruption.”

Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against
Corruption, PACAC, Prof. Itse Sagay, SAN, has declared that he
prefers to work alone on a task than work with corrupt
people.

He asserted that before someone could speak against corruption,
such persons must purge themselves of the vice.

He made this assertion at a Dialogue of Organs of Government on
Reform of Justice Sector and Campaign Against corruption, jointly
organised by PACAC and the Federal Ministry of Justice, with the
theme: ‘The imperative of cooperation of arms of government in a
democratic dispensation’.

Speaking at the event, which held on Tuesday, Sagay insisted
that paying lip service to the fight against corruption ridiculed
the whole exercise, but pointed out that a repentant corrupt person
was welcomed to join the fight against graft.

According to Sagay, “Fighting corruption cannot be lip service.
You cannot be corrupt and be talking against corruption, it
ridicules the whole exercise and the spirit of that struggle.

“And so we should purge ourselves of corruption so that we can
stand on firm ground to speak. Some might have been corrupt in the
past but if you purge yourselves then you are welcome. It ridicules
the whole process when we see people waxing lyrical on
anti-corruption whereas behind them, they have huge load of assets
and other things which they corruptly acquired.

“So, collaboration and cooperation is essential because we need
each other in order to succeed. But I think I will rather work
alone than work with a corrupt person who is not sincere and is
just making a fool of the whole country whilst preaching like a
pastor about corruption.”