Only free, fair elections ‘ll end corruption, insecurity in Nigeria – Ex-AGF Agabi

By Joseph Erunke

Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi, SAN, has declared that Nigeria cannot defeat corruption, insecurity, or political instability unless it begins to conduct truly free and fair elections.

Agabi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, made the remarks on Friday while delivering the 15th convocation lecture of the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, in Abuja.

He said Nigeria’s electoral process remains deeply flawed, arguing that leaders who gain office through dishonest means often set the tone for corruption and lawlessness across society.

“If we are ever going to free ourselves from corruption, if the nation is ever going to be non-violent and secure, we must first have free and fair elections. So far, our elections have been far from free or fair,” Agabi said.

According to him, politicians who rely on manipulation and unethical tactics to secure power cannot expect citizens to behave differently.

“If a president, a governor, a legislator or a councillor sees nothing wrong with employing the most inferior methods to acquire office, he or she should not be surprised if other citizens employ unethical methods to achieve their own aims,” he added.

Agabi warned that until Nigerians can trust the electoral process, government campaigns against corruption will continue to lack credibility.

Beyond politics, the former justice minister also faulted the nation’s education system, describing it as one that has contributed to corruption and social disconnection rather than solving societal problems.

He criticised what he described as the excessive reliance on Western-style education, saying it has alienated young people from their communities and encouraged elitist attitudes.

“Education as presently conceived and offered has aided and facilitated the entrenchment of a complex of superiority in our children. It has made them proud and distant from the community,” he said.

Agabi called for a more practical and locally relevant curriculum that combines intellectual learning with vocational skills.

“Our universities must teach not just the use of the mind, but also the use of the hands. The studies we offer ought to be of utility to the nation,” he stated.

He also raised concerns over rising malpractice in tertiary institutions, citing irregular admissions, examination fraud, cultism, and unethical relationships between lecturers and students as threats to the credibility of Nigerian universities.

The former AGF further urged leaders to speak more boldly against corruption and reduce the enormous benefits attached to political office, which he said often drives desperation, violence, and democratic instability.

“When the stakes are too high, powerful groups whose interests are threatened by legitimately elected governments provide support for violent movements that destroy democracy,” he noted.

Agabi also proposed the creation of a National Integration Commission to address divisions in the country, linking weak national cohesion to insecurity and the appointment of unqualified persons into public office.

He additionally called for the removal of constitutional immunity for presidents and governors.

Earlier, NOUN Vice-Chancellor, Professor Uduma Oji Uduma, described corruption as a moral and philosophical crisis eroding institutions, values, and national development.

He warned that corruption survives not only because of those who commit it, but also because society often tolerates it.

Agabi said, “Education without integrity is dangerous,” stressing that national renewal can only happen when citizens, institutions, and leaders choose accountability over compromise.

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