Presidency: Publicly declaring assets is voluntary, Buhari won’t do it

A presidential spokesperson on Tuesday said there was no law that mandates President Muhammadu Buhari to declare his assets publicly.

The presidency was reacting to the demand of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) which urged Mr Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the 36 state governors to make their assets public in seven days.

SERAP, in its statement on Sunday, argued that the non-disclosure by the officials “seriously undermines the effectiveness and integrity of the constitutional and statutory obligations to submit asset declarations.”

‘Not true’
Meanwhile, the presidency through Femi Adesina, spokesperson to Mr Buhari, while reacting on Monday during Channels TV Politics Today, said no law compelled his principal to make public his assets in his second term.

He said such a decision to make the assets public “is voluntary will and not a compulsion.”

“The president will do what the law requires of him and I can say for a fact that the president has declared his assets.

“Declaring that publicly is not in our law but voluntary. Therefore, he cannot be compelled to do so,” he said.

PREMIUM TIMES recalls that Messrs Buhari and Osinbajo released some details of their assets during their first tenure in 2015.

The FOI Act establishes the right of anyone to request information in the custody of any public official, agency or institution, with the exception of security files which are not of public concern.

Mr Adesina also noted that, “If FOI Act is invoked, it will be left with the Code of Conduct Bureau to release such information. The president has declared and already deposited the documents to them. So, it’s left to them to make such a decision,” he argued.

The Code of Conduct Bureau had in the past refused to disclose such information saying it was not mandated by law to do so.

Afamed:
Its primarily within the decision of the President and his Vp. Either to declare their assets publicly or not.

chichar1:
You are a big time HYPOCRISY!!!!!!!

Afamed:

Did the Constitution mandate either the President or Vp to declare their assets openly? Yes or No

Afamed:

Did the Constitution mandate either the President or Vp to declare their assets openly? Yes or No

chichar1:
You are a big time HYPOCRISY!!!!!!!

chichar1:
Did the Constitution mandate the former chief justice to declare his assets openly? Yes or No...... you must be Afamed Hypocrisy!!!!!!!!

Afamed:

Did the Constitution mandate either the President or Vp to declare their assets openly? Yes or No

It is impossible to deploy the resources of logic to argue that Buhari has integrity. He doesn’t. Well, unless integrity means something to Buhari supporters other than what it actually means in the English language
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailytrust.com.ng/amplite/adeosun-s-nysc-certificate-is-as-fake-as-buhari-s-integrity-260912.html

Aiyk2333:
Dumbo! But the CJN and many others were forced to declare during first tenure, now they've sieved those they want to sieve out of the government, declaration of assets is now under personal decision.The biggest scam I've ever seen is this government