Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s spokesperson, Garba
Shehu, recently made a statement
regarding Buhari’s assets during his
eight-year tenure in office. Shehu emphasized that Buhari’s assets did not
increase in value throughout his time as president. This information was
evident in the asset declaration form that Buhari submitted to the Code of
Conduct Bureau (CCB).
Shehu further explained that Buhari’s movable assets, both
within Nigeria and abroad, remained the same. He did not acquire any new bank
accounts apart from the one he already had in Union Bank, Kaduna. Additionally,
Buhari did not take any loans or possess any liabilities. The number of animals
on his farm had slightly decreased because he had gifted some of them over the
past four years.
The completion of the asset declaration form is compulsory
for all public officers, including elected, appointed, recruited, and
contracted individuals. These officials are required to declare their assets
and liabilities at the beginning and end of their tenure. By law, declarants
must disclose their assets and liabilities, including those of their spouses
(if not public officers) and children under 18 years of age. The form must be
submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau within 30 days of receiving it.
However, it is worth noting that some public officers fail to
disclose their assets despite the legal requirement.
The African Centre for Media and Information Literacy
(AFRICMIL) has called upon President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare his assets in
accordance with Paragraph 11 of Part I of the Fifth Schedule to the
Constitution. AFRICMIL urged Tinubu to make his asset declaration public as a
demonstration of his commitment to the fresh beginning he promised Nigerians.
Dr. Chido Onumah, the Coordinator of AFRICMIL, stated in a
recent press release that Tinubu’s public declaration of his assets would
elevate his moral standing above that of his predecessors, who had not taken
significant action regarding this constitutional obligation.
Onumah emphasized that in addition to the moral capital
gained from such a gesture, Tinubu would be seen as reinforcing faith in the
“Renewed Hope” agenda on which his governance plan is based, as it
was a central theme during his campaign.
Furthermore, Onumah stated that the Tinubu administration’s
anti-corruption agenda remains vague, despite Tinubu’s inaugural speech
mentioning proactive measures and the strengthening of anti-corruption
agencies. AFRICMIL looks forward to a more detailed and unambiguous
anti-corruption program and expresses readiness to collaborate with the Tinubu
administration in combating the rampant issue of corruption plaguing the
country.
