SERAP urges Buhari, Osinbajo to declare assets publicly
(Nigeria) Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP,
has urged President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to
“swiftly move to declare their assets publicly, consistent with their apparent
anticorruption credentials and their expressed commitments to do so and in the
best interest of transparency and accountability.”
SERAP’s request followed the declaration of assets last week
by the President and Vice President to the Code of Conduct Bureau as required
by the Constitution.
In a statement on Sunday by its Executive Director, Mr
Adetokunbo Mumuni, the organisation said that, “We welcome the official
declaration of assets by the President and Vice President. This clearly
complies with the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution as contained in
Chapter VI Section 140. However, the declaration before the Code of Conduct alone
falls far short of the commitment to publicly declare their assets.
“SERAP recalls that the President had said before the
election that he would publicly declare his assets and liabilities, and
encourage all his appointees to publicly declare their assets and liabilities
as a pre-condition for appointment. We now expect the President to fulfil this
promise to the Nigerian people”
The organisation “trusts that the President and Vice
President will move swiftly to publicly declare their assets and to publish
widely the information on a dedicated website.
“Public disclosure of assets will give the general public a
true picture of the assets of the President and Vice President and will send a
powerful message that it is not going to be business as usual with this
government. This will also follow the best practice by former President Umaru
Musa Yar'Adua, boost this government’s fight against corruption and impunity of
perpetrators, and fully comply with the provisions of chapter two of the
dealing with Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy,
which among others require the government to take steps to eradicate corrupt
practices and the abuse of power.
“We believe that public disclosure of assets is crucial for
ensuring that public officials’ personal interests including that of the
President and Vice President as the leaders of the nation, do not conflict with
their duties and responsibilities. Public disclosure also helps to provide a
baseline and thus means for comparison to identify assets that may have been
corruptly acquired and that a public official may legitimately be asked to
account for.
“We also urge the President to urgently take measures to
seek amendment of the law relating to declaration of assets to include the
requirement of public disclosure so as to bring it in line with international
standards and best practices such as the UN Convention against Corruption,” the
organisation added.
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