The Independent Corrupt Practices
Commissions (ICPC) Chairman, Mr. Ekpo Nta,
has reiterated his view that “stealing is not
corruption.”
Speaking to a team of The Nation on Sunday
in Lagos at the weekend, Nta explained that
his commission would fare better if there was
a proper understanding of the word corruption.
According to him, the controversy emanating
from the definition of corruption is as a result
of a long entrenched misunderstanding of the
vice.
“If you don’t know what you are fighting then
you might be busy fighting other things and
thinking you are addressing the problem,” he
stated.
The ICPC chairman, who has been criticised in
the media for saying “stealing is not
corruption”, stated that from the United
Nations Convention Against Corruption
(ONCAC) and the ICPC Act, the first item that
falls under corrupt practices is bribery in public
and private offices.
He backed up his views with Articles 15 and 16
of UNCAC and sections 8, 9 and 10 of the ICPC
Act.
He listed what is considered as corruption
under Article 19 of UNCAC and Section 19 of
the ICPC Act as: illicit enrichment, trading in
influence etc.
Explaining what he calls constitutes
corruption, the ICPC chairman said: “If I walk
into your office and I say that I have been sent
by the president that this contact you are
about to award must be awarded to me and
now drop his card or the president’s card on
the table. This is also an offence under corrupt
practice.”
Nta reiterated that the major function of the
ICPC is to check abuse of office by public
office holders and government officials.
Stealing, he said, falls under the criminal code
and should be reported to the police.
He added that Nigeria cannot operate in
isolation of the international definition of what
constitutes corruption.
Nta argued that if the Commission spends all
its time chasing cases of stealing, it will be will
be embarking on a futile operation and failing
in its primary duties.

http://thenationonlineng.net/corruption-different-stealing-icpc-boss/#top

I think and still maintain, that Dr Goodluck
Jonathan was merely hated because of his jet
speedy political success. He was envied by the
elite group, political gladiators and some bigots.
Almost everything that GEJ did and people
wanted to skin him alive, is fast resurfacing. E.g -
He removed subsidy, but was vilified. Today
Buhari has done same with pms scarcity lingering,
high price variations among gas station yet he's
been praised for taking the bold step.
He budgeted # 500m for Aso Rock feeding, they
called him clueless glutton. Today Buhari has
budgeted #1.2billion and he's receiving praise
Ok. One of the famous slogan today is "Stealing
is now Corruption! Hmm.
Those lines were curled out to rubbish GEJ's
speech "Stealing is not Corruption! Even a Senior
Advocate of Nigeria "Fashola" was among the
bandwagons making such blunder too.
Today, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is vindicated
again!

Stealing can never be corruption, for corruption is corruption and stealing, stealing. Just like manslaughter before the law if proven cannot be the same with murder, for it is the legal punishment approve that determines the tagged labeled for the misdemeanor or crime. Pedophile is not prostitution, or is it rape for the child may have been exposed to sex even at an earlier age. Only the law will determine which is which, not sentiment, hate, tribe etc. APC propaganda messed up the thinking faculty of most Nigerians and reason, logic disappeared. Even educated people could not compartmentalize issues anymore. If a man steals a goat and he is caught: the goat is proof, evidence…and the people that saw him when he was caught by the one are the witness that brings him before the law. He is sentenced because he was caught with the stolen item. The law applies. In what you people call corruption. Corruption is using public office to enrich self. When you appoint your family members into office because of connection is it stealing…? When you corruptly enrich yourself with our commonwealth and you are caught and you call it corruption rather than stealing, the law on corruption applies…then the court will begin their magic. That is where we are…!