Kingsley Ahanonu: What is the fuss about the President’s assets declaration?

 Let’s get the matter headlong. According to the provisions of the law which stipulates such requirement, it suggests that such should be made within 90 days of taking office. But here, we see a man pressured by sheer principle to beat that suggestion by more than 88 days.

The recent simple act of fulfilling the constitutional requirement of assets declaration by President Muhammadu Buhari has so quickly been blown out into controversy; taken to a disturbing turn. It was typically the making of mountain out of a sheer molehill, which has kept me wondering, staring in misconstruction and asking what the fuss is all about.

The 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic made it mandatory for public officials to declare their assets as prerequisite to their assuming statutory responsibilities. However, Buhari, in what has now appeared to an ants-infested fire-wood, had during the electioneering, promised to publicly declare his assets within his first 100 days in office and also influence his appointees to tow same line.

In what is seen as a fulfilment of that pledge, within 48 hours of his ascendancy, President Buhari and his vice, Professor Osinbajo, were able to fulfil the law’s requirement and by extension their campaign promise, by declaring their assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB). But to some, this act merely scratches the surface. His declaration remains far from being ‘public’, they claim. But I wonder how.

Personally, I feel this is a commendable feat; the very act of Buhari -and his vice- declaring their assets. It’s highly impressive going by the culture of constitutional neglects. Mr. President, not only fulfilled the requirements but on so quick a time.

It’s worthy to remember that it was only the late Yar’adua, who was able to make known his assets, before this time. Now we have a man living up to his words and some Nigerians have found it early to start throwing swipe.

I understand their predicament, albeit. Not that the gentleman has not fulfilled the constitutional requirement, but that he seemed to have reneged on his promise of ‘public’ declaration. But is their concern rightly placed? That is the pivot of this piece.

Let’s get the matter headlong. According to the provisions of the law which stipulates such requirement, it suggests that such should be made within 90 days of taking office. But here, we see a man pressured by sheer principle to beat that suggestion by more than 88 days.

As to the allusion that the declaration was not made public- as the man had promised and not basically because the constitution clearly stated it. That would instead be a question of whether it was public declaration, or a declaration going to be made public or whether it was simply not. This is because the fact of the constitutional
requirement is widely ambiguous. By declaring to the CCB, the law was not specific whether it was to be a public process.

By declaring to the CCB, the law was not specific as to whether it was a process public in the term. Paragraph 11(1) of the Code said in summary, that within 3 months in office, the public officer should submit written documents of his assets and liabilities to CCB. Whether this act of submission amounts to publicity or not remains to be questioned; an issue of perception.

But this is what I make of that ambiguity. That by virtue of the fact that the declaration is to be made to the CCB and owing to the fact that CCB, by itself, is a public institution, the declaration so made to CCB is a public declaration.

I’ll explain further. For the simple reason that Mr. President has submitted his assets declaration to the CCB, methink it relieves him of the expectation now hauled at him. What do they expect of him? To have stood out and blow it out in similar fashion as he did with his inaugural and declaration speeches to be seen as having made a public
assertion?

In the recent past, the outgoing 8th National Assembly did a commendable work in passing the FOI bill into law. That law provides Nigerians with the opportunity to seek for clarification on issues they feel incoherent and shady.

In this case, whoever that feels Buhari has not lived up to expectation could proceed to the CCB for clarification- that function of publicity has become delegated to them. And if they are not availed with their demand, they could as well invoke the provisions of the FOI to access their demand.

Please let’s give credit to this man, who has set the ground running and pray and hope he delivers more on his primary responsibilities. He needs our supports!

To me, there’s no issue whatsoever about the declaration; it’s already public document as presented.


Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

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