Retail
  • Home
  • News
  • 2023 election
  • Governance
  • National Assembly
  • Presidency
  • Foreign
  • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
Premium Politics
No Result
View All Result
Home News

SERAP urges Buhari, others to disclose assets 

by Marcus Amudipe
April 16, 2023
in News
Reading Time: 3 mins read
SERAP urges Buhari, others to disclose assets 
1
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

 

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has called on the president, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and other high-ranking officials to publicly disclose their assets as they prepare to leave their positions.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

LP distances self from lawmaker-elect Ogah for praising Tinubu

Plaintiffs seeking Buhari tenure extension drops suit

They also requested that the next administration’s officials, including Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, immediately declare their assets to date.

SERAP cites the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, which mandates public officials to disclose their assets upon assuming office, every four years, and at the end of their tenure, according to Part I of the Fifth Schedule to the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended).

The organisation called these leaders in an open letter dated Sunday, April 15, 2023, and signed by SERAP deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, and accessed by The Punch.

It reads, “Publishing your asset declaration form and encouraging other public officials and officials of the next administration to do so would enable Nigerians to scrutinise the assets and worth of public officials before taking office and at the end of their term of office.”

It further stated, “Those who voluntarily seek or occupy public offices and are catered for by the public have certain fiduciary duties to be open, transparent, and accountable to Nigerians regarding the details of their asset declaration forms.”

“Because asset declaration forms are public documents, public officials cannot claim that publishing their assets would violate their privacy rights. There is an overriding public interest in the disclosure of information on the assets of public officers who clearly are trustees of Nigeria’s wealth and resources.

“SERAP urges you to emulate a good example of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who consistently published his asset declaration forms as president and governor of Katsina State.

“He also planned legislative reform to make it mandatory for all public officers to declare their assets publicly. He believed that publishing his assets would put pressure on other public officers to do so,” SERAP said.

According to the organization, “Publishing your asset declaration form and encouraging other public officials and the officials of the next administration to do so would also send a powerful message of your commitment to uphold the country’s constitutional guarantees and international obligations.

“It would also show that you are ready to do what is needed to leave a legacy of transparency and accountability.

“Apart from encouraging other officials and the officials of the next administration to publish their asset declaration forms, publishing your asset declaration form widely would also address allegations that many officials tend to make false declarations in order to cover up assets illegally acquired in corruption or abuse of office.”

Speaking about the call, SERAP said, “Our requests are brought in the public interest, and in keeping with the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended]; the Freedom of Information Act; the UN Convention against Corruption; African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption; the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to Nigeria is a state party.

“According to the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, contained in Part I of the Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], all public officers are to declare their assets.

“Paragraph 11(1)(a)(b) of the Fifth Schedule provides that every public officer shall immediately after taking office and thereafter (a) at the end of every four years; and (b) at the end of his/her term of office, submit to the CCB a written declaration of all his/her properties, assets, and liabilities and those of his/her unmarried children under the age of eighteen years.

“Article 7(1) of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption and Articles 7(4) and 8(5) of the UN Convention against Corruption also contain similar provisions and requirements for public officials to declare their assets before, during, and after serving in public office.

“The Nigerian Constitution and the anti corruption and human rights treaties show the significant role that asset declaration by public officials plays in promoting transparency, accountability and preventing and combating corruption in the public service.

“Section 109 of the Evidence Act defines a public document to include documents forming the acts or records of the acts of public officers. Asset declaration forms kept with the Code of Conduct Bureau, therefore, qualify as public documents under section 109.

“Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution makes provision for the fundamental right to information. Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights also guarantee access to information.

The statement added that they anticipate that the information provided will assist in directing efforts of the president, vice president and others to disclose your asset declaration form and encourage others to follow suit.

Tags: Muhammadu BuhariSERAPYemi Osinbajo
ShareTweetSend
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

INEC rejects Adamawa REC gov result announcement

Next Post

Adamawa: Tweeps react as Binani gives acceptance speech

Related Posts

LP distances self from lawmaker-elect Ogah for praising Tinubu
News

LP distances self from lawmaker-elect Ogah for praising Tinubu

June 9, 2023
Plaintiffs seeking Buhari tenure extension drops suit
News

Plaintiffs seeking Buhari tenure extension drops suit

June 9, 2023
INEC staff tells court BVAS didn't transmit presidential result
News

INEC staff tells court BVAS didn’t transmit presidential result

June 8, 2023
Nasarawa state map
News

Nasarawa police seal-off Assembly complex

June 8, 2023
I hold no grudges against anyone- Aregbesola
News

I hold no grudges against anyone- Aregbesola

June 8, 2023
Tinubu swears in SSG Akume in Abuja
News

Tinubu swears in SSG Akume in Abuja

June 7, 2023
Next Post
Adamawa: Tweeps react as Binani gives acceptance speech

Adamawa: Tweeps react as Binani gives acceptance speech

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent News

Dauda-Lawal-and-Matawalle

APC chieftain condemns ‘unconstitutional’ invasion of Matawalle’s house 

by Kazeem Owoseni
June 9, 2023

Tinubu meets Kwankwaso, ex-Reps member Jibrin in Abuja

Tinubu meets Kwankwaso, ex-Reps member Jibrin in Abuja

by Alade Abayomi Adeleke
June 9, 2023

LP distances self from lawmaker-elect Ogah for praising Tinubu

LP distances self from lawmaker-elect Ogah for praising Tinubu

by Marcus Amudipe
June 9, 2023

Reno Omokri

Omokri knocks Buhari over alleged $19b spent on refineries

by Kazeem Owoseni
June 9, 2023

Premium Politics

© 2023 Premium Politics

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • News
  • 2023 election
  • Governance
  • National Assembly
  • Presidency
  • Foreign
  • Privacy Policy

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • 2023 election
  • Governance
  • National Assembly
  • Presidency
  • Foreign
  • Privacy Policy

© 2023 Premium Politics

Go to mobile version