THE Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, has said politicians steal because they want to satisfy the people and win elections.
This is even as he said he is not a proponent of death penalties for corrupt politicians who steal millions or billions, saying they should be overlooked.
He, however, said his contemporaries whose theft of public funds run into trillions should be given capital punishment.
Ndume explained that corruption within Nigerian politics was primarily influenced by individuals, suggesting that it should not warrant severe consequences.
The senator admitted that politicians engage in corruption but also distribute resources to the public.
He said, “If you compare us, politicians, to all the corruption, it is very small. Our corruption is people-driven,” he told Channels Television.
“If you steal it, you will go and share it with the people. If you don’t, you are not coming back for four years. There is no reason for stealing.
“I have been to the National Assembly, I can’t say because we are on TV now and not telling the truth.
“If the death penalty is supposed to be included in the Constitution, I will support it but you don’t go and kill someone that stole one million or one billion, no. But someone who steals one trillion of government money should be killed.”
Eighteen-Eleven Media