The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged President Mohammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the 36 state governors and other elected officeholders in the country to publicly declare their assets and that of their family members as proof that they are not corrupt.
The main opposition political party said this in a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Prince Diran Odeyemi, made available to newsmen on Friday.
The statement lamented that the Code of Conduct Bureau had insisted that it could not release details of assets of the President and other top officials without their consent.
It, therefore, called on all high- ranking political officeholders in the land to waive the caveat placed on the Code of Conduct Bureau and make their assets opened to Nigerians.
It said that if former Chief Justice of the Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, could be made to face prosecution for not declaring in full his assets, other top government officials should not be excused.
The statement queried the alleged tardiness of President Buhari in directing the CCB to release details of his assets in 2015 and now for proper scrutiny to convince Nigerians that he was not corrupt and therefore capable of fighting corruption.
It reads in parts: “We are of the opinion that President Mohammadu Buhari, Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, and Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, should declare openly their assets to allow Nigerians to further see how much wealth they have acquired since joining government.
“We believe laying claim to sainthood is easy as President Buhari and others have been doing all along, but Nigerians deserve to see beyond whatever government forces down their throats. By making public declaration of their assets, Nigerians will be able to see better and judge accordingly.”
It said a section of the law that established the Code of Conduct Bureau says, “every public officer shall, immediately after taking office and thereafter-
(a) at the end of every four years;
(b) at the end of his term of office; and
(c) in the case of a serving officer, within thirty days of the receipt of the form from the Bureau or at such other intervals as the Bureau may specify, submit to the Bureau a written declaration in the Form prescribed in the first Schedule to this Act or, in such form as the Bureau may, from time to time, specify, of all his properties, assets and liabilities and those of his spouse or unmarried children under the age of twenty-one years.”
The statement, therefore, said: “If this is what the laws stipulate why will our President keep to himself his assets. By making public their assets, Nigerians will see how many heads of cattle have been added by President Buhari. Blowing hot and cold at the same time is not the hallmark of a leader with clean hands.”
It warned that should the President and others fail to make public declaration of their assets, further aspersions would be cast on the anti corruption efforts of the administration.
It alleged that President Buhari appears directionless and uncoordinated rather than build on several innovations that would help to end corruption in the country.
“We urge President Buhari and other top government officials to be more coordinated and exhibit transparency not only in fighting graft but in their dealings with Nigerians because no matter how fast lies have moved, in a flight, truth will catch up.”
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