Nigerians react as Tinubu named among world’s five most corrupt leaders in 2024

Nigerians on social media have expressed concerns after President Bola Tinubu was named one of the five finalists for the 2024 “Corrupt Person of the Year” by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).
The announcement, made on Tuesday, December 31, has drawn mixed reactions from Nigerians. Many expressed disappointment and affirmation over the inclusion of the country’s leader in such a ranking.
Tinubu, who secured the third-highest number of nominations, was shortlisted alongside Kenya’s President William Ruto, former Indonesian President Joko Widodo, former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and Indian businessman Gautam Adani.
The OCCRP noted that the finalists were selected from over 55,000 nominations submitted by journalists, readers, and the project’s global network.
According to the report, more than 40,000 people nominated Kenyan President William Ruto for “Person of the Year” in organised crime and corruption.
The nominations were driven by widespread frustration over soaring youth unemployment, a controversial Finance Bill, and anger at his government seen as deeply corrupt.
Ruto’s administration faces allegations of greed and corruption, which critics say have led to failures in economic policies, healthcare, and education, as well as political instability and the reported abduction of opposition figures.
This consequently led to young Kenyans taking to the streets in June and July 2024, staging weeks of protests demanding his resignation.
The demonstrations were met with force, as security operatives used tear gas, water cannons, arrests, and even live bullets. Many protesters were killed, injured, or went missing during the unrest.
While Ruto, Widodo and Tinubu secured the highest votes in the nomination, the judges named ousted Syrian leader, Bashar Al-Assad, as the most corrupt leader.
Credit: International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR)