Asset Declaration: Buhari Should Stop Being Clever By Half - READER'S OPINION

I find it repulsive when supporters of the government and APC try to play fast on our collective intelligence. I believe that it is patriotic to set the record straight with respect to Asset declaration.

                        
Declaring of Asset With Code of Conduct Bureau
According to the law, EVERY category of public officer MUST declare their asset before CCB. 

(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...

This every government official fulfilled. 
The CCB Chairman in 2012 confirmed that exPresident Jonathan declared his

{{{ www.vanguardngr.com/2012/09/jonathan-has-declared-assets-bureau-chairman/   }}}}

This is EXACTLY what Buhari and Osinbajo did...

Note: that it isn't mandatory for assets to be declared in publicly, but mandatory to do so with code of conduct

["Public" Asset Declaration(PAD)
Unlike CCB declaration, PAD declaration is subject to the wish of the office holder. Musa Yaradua in year 2000 first declared his asset PUBLICLY as Governor of Katsina state. Details of his asset and liabilities was published. In June 2007, against the advice of CCB he went ahead to publish details of his assets and liabilities and those of his wife Turai yaradua. (nm.onlinenigeria.com/templates/?a=10124) 
He never waited for CCB to publish it neither did Yaradua tell anyone to make demand for it by invoking the FOI law. CCB only does verification, they DON'T publish asset as declared.

For the record, even before the passing of the FOI, any citizen can petition CCB or get a warrant from the Court for the release of asset declaration form of a public officer. It doesn't translate to "public declaration"
[The "Not so Smart" Buhari:
While campaigning, Buhari made a pledge to Publicly Declare his asset...

“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."

Rather than public declaration, President Buhari did what every public officials have been doing by ONLY declaring with the CCB. To add salt to injury, Buhari through his Aide Alhaji Shehu Garba said Buhari has "fulfilled his promise". In his own words...

"By declaring their assets, the statement said that President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo may have not only fulfilled the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution, but also fulfilled the first of their many campaign promises.".

He went further to say that Nigerians can "invoke the FOI" if they want details which is not different from the norm.

For the record, there is no law that set time limit for public declaration of asset, neither is there any law that illegalise public asset declaration.

Buhari Has No History of Public Asset Declaration, Yaradua Does
Buhari has served in various capacity as State Governor, NNPC boss, Petroleum Minister, PTF(special) boss and Head of State yet never has he declared his asset publicly. Buhari has no history of open asset declaration unlike yaradua. 

As Governor, Yaradua never promised to declare PUBLICLY his asset in 2000, yet he did. He repeated same as President in 2007. 


Finally, Buhari and his followers should understand that the image of the President will be affected if he continue to insist that "he has fulfilled his promise" by not doing what he promised to do


May God bless Us All