The governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola has again fired another salvo at President Goodluck Jonathan, this time around, puncturing the statement widely credited to the president to the effect that stealing is not corruption.
The governor, who said though there are varieties of corruption, insisted that stealing is the worst form of corrupt practices.
Fashola disclosed this when he interacted with reporters attached to the Lagos State Governor’s Office.
He said: “As for corruption, I have my own views that I have expressed consistently about corruption and I have always said corruption is the symptom of a more serious problem.
“There are so many levels of corruption and I think the Nigerian people or nation must reach an agreement about what we want to do about corruption. When we say we must stop corruption, who is ready to lead by example? Corruption is not only taking money and I disagree that stealing is not corruption.
He insisted that driving against traffic, though, an infraction against the traffic law to get to where you do not deserve, is corruption, adding that going to a commissioner to get a promotion for your sister before promotion examination in the ministry is equally corruption.
“These are cases of corruption. Can you sentence somebody to death for that? So I don’t think sentencing people to jail or death is the answer to the problem of corruption.
On the way out of corruption, the Lagos State governor said the first solution is to provide for the greater percentage of the people and also lead them with a moral authority that shows them that it is wrong to cheat and make them know that if such is done, consequences will follow.
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