ANEEJ Hails Buhari, Osibanjo Over Assets Declaration

Abuja, Nigeria – African Network for Environment & Economic Justice (ANEEJ) has expressed satisfaction over the recent assets declaration by President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osibanjo.

ANEEJ communications manager, Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku noted in Abuja last weekend that such gesture was in conformity with the tradition of presenting an administrative scorecard of achievements within 100 days in office.

President Muhammadu Buhari together with his deputy, Professor Yemi Osibanjo publicly declared their assets and liabilities to the Nigerian nation last week in an attempt to maintain their credibility and retain the people’s confidence in them as anti-corruption crusaders.

Until now, Mr. Etemiku recalled, no one Nigerian president, vice president or military president has made a pre and post administration asset declaration, a practice, he said was strangely at variance with the practices of modern democracies.

“It is against this backdrop that we commend this gesture and recommend to every Nigerian public official – governors, deputy governors, local government chairmen and civil servants – who collect large amounts of monies on behalf of Nigerians to follow suit and declare their assets as well,” he said.  

According to him, ANEEJ believes that asset declaration is a precondition for justice and is sine qua non in the fight against corruption in a Nigeria where public office is often seen as a short-cut to the accumulation and acquisition of stupendous wealth.

‘We call for an amendment of the laws which seemingly support public officials from making a public declaration of their assets and liabilities on the very first day that they would resume office.

“Let the constitution make asset declaration mandatory and a precondition for public office. “We are pleased as well that our Facebook Campaign which began on the month of July 2015 and tagged, ‘Mr. Buhari/Osinbajo declare what you have publicly’ had the desired effect.

“The campaign started as an ANEEJ initiative to bring Nigerian leaders to account to the people who elected them.

“It was a campaign for transparency and good governance for Nigeria. It produced a series of discussions online and in the mainstream media,” Mr. Etemiku said.