Shehu Sani, APC Supporters Reject “World Most Corrupt Persons Of The Year” Ranking For Tinubu

Supporters of President Bola Tinubu, including former Senator Shehu Sani, have condemned in strong terms, the recent ranking of the Nigerian leader as one of the most corrupt individuals in the world by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).

They argue that the award is part of a deliberate campaign to undermine and delegitimize Tinubu’s presidency.

The controversial ranking emerged after OCCRP, an organization that unites investigative journalists and activists globally, invited citizens to nominate individuals who they believe have contributed significantly to criminal activities and worsened poverty.

In the final tally, President Tinubu secured the third spot, behind former Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Kenyan President William Ruto.

Shehu Sani dismissed the award as baseless, claiming that it was driven by subjective online voting rather than concrete evidence.

He argued that such rankings, based on public opinion rather than indisputable facts, hold little value in evaluating the leadership of African heads of state.

“Labeling African leaders, including Nigeria’s President, as the most corrupt based on online voting is a politically motivated rating, driven by opinions and perspectives, not facts and figures,” Sani expressed on social media platform X.

Supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) also voiced their disapproval of the award.

Many described it as a coordinated effort to tarnish the image of the president. One supporter, Gbotemi, expressed defiance, stating, “Let them keep deceiving themselves. They’ve been trying to bring Jagaban down through blackmail, but God keeps elevating him.”

Others criticized the poll as an international smear campaign.

“Their goal is to create an image of global relevance to solicit donations while engaging in international blackmail through unsubstantiated polls,” wrote Ask Fatai on X.

Further dismissing the significance of the award, another supporter, Yhemite, pointed out the prevalence of corruption worldwide, stating that Nigeria still has room to grow in comparison to countries like the USA.

Ibrahim Abubakar also weighed in, asserting that the award does not change the fact that Tinubu remains the president and is likely to hold that position until 2031.

Despite the controversy surrounding the ranking, it has sparked a wider debate on the credibility of such international awards and their impact on the Nigerian government.