Presidency rejects TI corruption index, says it is based on hearsay and press releases

Garba Shehu says Transparency International report about corruption in Nigeria is not based on fact.

The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu has rejected the corruption perception index by Transparency International, saying it is not based on fact.

In its 2019 corruption perception index published on Thursday, January 23, 2020, the organization ranked Nigeria 146 of 180 countries.

The organisation identified attack on the media and journalists exposing corruption, selective anti-graft war as well as corrupt practices in critical sectors as causes of decline in its rating of Nigeria.

While speaking on Channels TV on Friday, January 24, 2020, Shehu said the report is only a perception that is based on secondary data and not factual.

Garba-Shehu says Transparency International report about corruption in Nigeria is not based on fact. (TheCable) Pulse Nigeria

He said, “ It is different from the reality that you have on the ground”.

“In fairness to the TI that presented the report, they said themselves that it is not research-based,” Shehu said.

“So, it is not fact-based but based on secondary data; information collected here and there. In effect, anybody could put together this kind of report from press releases issued by opposition political parties.”

“It is hearsay, somebody said something and we are picking it from there.”

The Federal Government and the Economic Financial and Crimes Commission (EFCC) had also dismissed the ranking describing it as a baseless report.