Why I haven’t made my assets public ––Jonathan
By Bisi Olaniyi
Published: Sunday, 29 Jul 2007
The Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, on Saturday said he would not make his declaration of assets public because no Nigerian law, for now, makes such mandatory.

Besides, he said he declared his assets five times, which could be confirmed at the Code of Conduct Bureau.

Jonathan, the immediate past governor of Bayelsa State, also declined to give the state‘s debt profile.

The VP spoke at an interactive forum with journalists at the Government House, Yenagoa in company with the state Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, among other top government officials.

A senior Bayelsa state government official, however, told Sunday Punch on the condition of anonymity that the state’s debt is put at N58 billion.

But Sylva had said the VP left N20billion asset in investment portfolio.

Jonathan said, ”There is nobody as at the time he leaves government, if you want to be frank, who can state exactly how much that is left behind or how much that they are owing.

”Even if I know, it will be wrong for me to tell you now that the governor has been here for almost two months. ”[/b]I remember in Oyo state where the governor said he left over N20 billion and the governor who took over said he met an empty treasury. I think it is not necessary.

[b]”Even as I speak now, if I ask Sylva (Governor Timipre) how much money is the asset base of Bayelsa in terms of investments in banks, he will not tell you.”

On the public declaration of his assets, the VP said, ”It is not my duty to come and publish. If the law says so, I will, but it has not.”

Sylva, in his remarks, described the Otuoke, Ogbia LGA-born VP as a very modest person, who had done so much for the state.

The Bayelsa governor stressed that what he saw on the ground in the state was far in excess of what he expected, adding that a huge asset base was left behind.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20070729164192

Him no want make his asset public, him no sabi how much him leave for treasury. These comments have corruption written all over them.

How generous, Ijaw leaders they contribute money for Alams overseas treatement who else go pay that money if not Sylva and Goodluck.

This people are fooling themselves.

That Ijaw fisherman VP is a rogue. Wasn't his wife's crony caught at the Airport with money in the last dispensation?

This man and Yar'Adua should not be in the same boat. He will sink it.

I've been suspecting him for a while now. What is TRANSPARENCY?

I move a motion that we all contact our Senators and Representatives to make Bayelsa transparent.

this VP is dodgy

There's something terribly wrong with that man and I'm not just talking about the way he looks.

Any time I read about the VP, I always remember Robert Greene book "THE 48 LAWS OF POWER". From the way he rose from obscurity, looking so innocent and harmless, yet making a political career out of other people's ill-luck, there appear to be something fishy about him. Let just hope he won't stretch his goodluck too far this time. Nigerians must keep a close tab on him.

Any time I read about the VP, I always remember Robert Greene book "THE 48 LAWS OF POWER". From the way he rose from obscurity, looking so innocent and harmless, yet making a political career out of other people's ill-luck, there appear to be something fishy about him. Let just hope he won't stretch his goodluck too far this time. Nigerians must keep a close tab on him.

Olanaijim, you are too funny

You're post had me in fits of laughter, although this is a serious matter!

The arrogant VP dude continues to claim that the constitution does not require him to publicly declare his assets.
Why can't he just follow his Boss's steps and make a public declaration ? What is so hard about that unless he has something to hide. It is most certain that he won't be able to explian his wealth

I have a gut feeling this man is going to be a spoiler in this Yar'Adua's govt and because of his actions, I feel strongly he will fall out with Yar'Adua.
They seem like diametric opposites

olanajim:

Any time I read about the VP, I always remember Robert Greene book "THE 48 LAWS OF POWER". From the way he rose from obscurity, looking so innocent and harmless, yet making a political career out of other people's ill-luck, there appear to be something fishy about him. Let just hope he won't stretch his goodluck too far this time. Nigerians must keep a close tab on him.

More like "Animal Farm" by George Orwell. "All men are created equal. But some are more equal than others"!!!!

funloving:

The arrogant VP dude continues to claim that the constitution does not require him to publicly declare his assets.

Is this true, can somebody who has seen the constitution of Nigeria clerify us on this issue.

I smell a rat but i dont think it will take too long to be exposed.

Innocent until found guilty by a court of law,

I think we better start re-grooming Donald Duke for VP because in the next two years, the proverbial "Goodluck" might not be there anymore. For Yar'Adua's good work to continue, we cannot continue harbouring a man who is working in the exact opposite direction from the President.

Like I said before, Yar'Adua did not publicly declare his assets for showmanship. He did it for the sake of promoting transparency in government. It beats me that his vice would come to undermine all this.

First, it was refusal to declare the state of the Bayelsa State accounts publicly, now it is refusal to declare the former Bayelsa state governor's assets publicly. Is anyone noticing the coincidence here?

This man is corrupt!

For me the VP has not declared his assets, not even once

maybe its cos verification will be so straight forward. An ex lecturer. as far as we know, he has never been involved in business. In saying this anyhow, is he not mandated to declare his assets to the code of conduct bureau? maybe one of our human rights lawyers should take it up. the records ought to be accessible from code of conduct.

@angel101

Goodluck says he has declared his assets to the code of conduct Bureau but he is not mandated to make it public. Which is true. But the man is just Criminal.

I tell, you, lets start grooming Donald Duke to take his place because I don't see that man spending up to two years with Yar'Adua. Goodluck is a novice to this idea of transparency and tirelessly working for the greater good.

yeah so if we truly want to know about his assets should go to the code of conduct. i think it actually needs to be done. let us nip it in the bud now o!

As for grooming Duke for VP, that is just a fantastic idea really.

Fifth Schedule of the constitution

11. (1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, every public officer shall within three months after the coming into force of this Code of Conduct or immediately after taking office and thereafter -

(a) at the end of every four years; and

(b) at the end of his term of office, submit to the Code of Conduct Bureau a written declaration of all his properties, assets, and liabilities and those of his unmarried children under the age of eighteen years.

(2) Any statement in such declaration that is found to be false by any authority or person authorised in that behalf to verify it shall be deemed to be a breach of this Code.


(3) Any property or assets acquired by a public officer after any declaration required under this Constitution and which is not fairly attributable to income, gift, or loan approved by this Code shall be deemed to have been acquired in breach of this Code unless the contrary is proved.

It is so shameful how politicians exploit gaps in our constitution.

Yes the constitution says a written declaration should be submitted, while I agree he has submitted details of his assets to Code of conduct Bureau I don't think he has declared his assets.

To declare means "to announce" or "to proclaim" or "to make public". He has not done any of these.
So Jonathan Goodluck should kindly declare his assets.

What is the essence of asset declaration if not for public scrutiny. Jonathan was not forced into public life, he has a choice of private life by simply resigning.

We are at a stage where we want to move forward by giving more meaning to the constitution.

If the mr president is clever he would rid himself of Goodluck fast.

1st of all, I'm not a lawyer, or a constitutional one for that matter.

I'm also not a big fan of Goodluck, but then it seems he declared his assets as stated by the constituion.

However, he did not go far enough in making them public.

He should also have followed his boss's lead if he had no skekelton in the cupboard, but for the sake principles, I don't think his declaration must be be given to newsmen.

I maybe naive, but the constitution quoted by Mckren does not say he should make it public, especially if he had declared it to the code of conduct bureau.

Am I reading it wrong?

Shebi the man does not want to declare his assets? PM NEWS and Sun News will soon call on their "sources" who will tell them that they saw the declaration and it is was in billions of dollars.

There is something sinister about the game this VP is playing with his declaration of assets. Last time the AC secretary joined the chorus in asking him to declare his asset publicly like his boss did, he asked his press secretary to provide a reply calling the AC a party of terrorist with three of their members already charged to court. He insinuated that they got his house burnt. He did not stop there, he went further to ask whether the AC secretary's principals (referring to Atiku and Tinubu) had declared their assets or something of such. What has all these got to do with a simple moral question to wit: Declare your assets publicly, Mr VP? If one might ask.
His arm-twisting tactics and name calling reminds one of the dirty politics employed by OBJ's media warlords a la Femi Fami Kayode, Uba Sanni and Jide Oshutokun. And it all adds up to one fact: that the VP is a very treacherous, deceptive, sneaky personality, one lacking in moral rectitude and probity. Yaradua must be wary of him.

The game he is playing is obvious. He might have filled misleading informations with the COC or he had already documented the property he want to steal while serving Nigeria. So, by the end of his tenure, he would not have to explain anything. Another possibility is that, he had a skeleton that would be exposed one he made it public. After all OBJ got away with his loot.

Naturally, he ought to follow his boss step. Atikus, Tinubus, all followed the step of the then president. It is therefore ridiculous for him to compare himself with Tinubu at all. Tinubu worked with oil firm so he may have cover. Atiku was once a custom officer, we are not suprised he made money from there. We know better as Naija. But a University lecturer amasing billions of dollar assets during a time our lecturers, were underpaid would have alot to explain. It is so simple. Going to COC is useless. They would never let you see the content. Don't forget OBJ refused to sign the FOI bill for reason, among others.

The only way to ensure Goodluck didn't bring bad luck is to keep him under close watch. Yar'adua should either reduce him to minister of Niger Delta, or make him redundance like OBJ did to Atiku.

He must keep a tab on his supposed goodluck.

Crownvilla, there is nothing funny about Mr Goodluck building his success on other people's misfortune. It is the truth. Check it out. HE BECAME DEPUTY GOV BY ACCIDENT, SOME POLITICIANS IN THE STATE LOST THEIR POLITICAL RELEVANCE AS A RESULT OF THAT ACTION. HE DIDN'T PRINT POSTERs, AND HE BECAME GOVERNOR, HIS BOSS SERVED IN PRISON. WHILE THE LIKE OF ODILI, DUKE, ETC WERE SPENDING MILLIONS TO AT LEAST BE MADE PRESITENT, GOODLUCK, HAD NO POLITICAL PLAN. THEN, THOSE HARD WORKING MEN FELL OUT WITH OBJ, AND GUESS WHAT? THE MAN THAT IS NOT EVEN SURE OF WINNING HIS STATE WAS MADE VP! Lucky indeed. He must reciprocate that luck with a measure of sincerity if he don't want reversal. He is serving Nigeria now and NOT Niger Delta. I doubt if he had political base even in his LG.

Let just hope, Yar'adua don't die or got impeached so that Goodluck may what he is: GOODLUCK!

Jonathan - the man is corruption personifed

^^^^^^
This thread was our first clue!!! I guess the euphoria of having a south-south president clouded our judgement for a while.

We now have such a man as the president. So sad

^ Yup, Thanks to religious sentiments, Ethnic mistrust plus access to a very big federal account.

Too late!!!

I dey laff oo