Change Movement writes Buhari, faults secret declaration of assets

Change Movement Nigeria has faulted the failure by President Muhammadu Buhari to publicly declare his assets contrary to his pre-election promise to do so publicly.Dated May 31, 2015, the open letter to Buhari was entitled ‘Public Assets Declaration: A Promise Made But Yet To Be Fulfilled’ and signed by the group’s National Coordinator, Peter Damilola Adegoke.

In it Change Movement wrote: “Congratulations on your assumption of office as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We appreciate your gesture with that of your Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, for declaring your assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau; but we are deeply concerned that the action did not follow the promise you made to Nigerians during your campaign exercise; you promised to publicly declare your assets within 100 days in office as President.

“You also promised to make the officials working with you to do the same. But you did last week is not a public declaration because it is not open; when it is not open, it is not public. The Punch Newspaper reported your promise

“In that document titled “I pledge to Nigeria” where you promised thus: “I pledge to publicly declare my assets and liabilities, encourage all my appointees to publicity declare their assets and liabilities as a pre-condition for appointment,” and “All political appointees will only earn the salaries and allowances determined by the RMFAC.”

“While we agree that Chapter VI Section 140 of Nigerian Constitution only stipulates that public officials should declare their assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau, we however believe that your promise to make the declaration public include open disclosure in line with international open governance practices and also with your promise to run an open government.

“Mr President, you are not the first to make a promise of public assets declaration. Former President Yar’Adua did the same and he redeemed his pledge by publicly declaring his assets on June 28, 2007; according to him, he had N856,452,892 (US$5.8 million) in assets, N19 million ($0.1 million) of which belonged to his wife. He also had N88,793,269.77 ($0.5 million) in liabilities. That is an example public assets declaration.

“If your intention was to declare your assets privately to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), then you needed not to have included that as a promise because the constitution made it mandatory to do so.

“Your Excellency, we like to remind that your premised your entire electoral campaigns upon the principle of transparency and anti-corruption; it is therefore important that you redeem your pledge by making public disclosure of your assets. Nigerians did not bargain for business as usual, you promised CHANGE and we are asking for CHANGE.

“A promise is a debt, and as a man of honour, we hope you will fulfill your promise.”

Source News Express