The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) have charged President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo to publish their asset declaration forms to show leadership and transparency. This charge was backed by the fact that Mr Yombe Dabai Samalia, the Deputy Governor of Kebbi State published his asset declaration form in response to a suit by SERAP. This the Non-Governmental Organisation hopes to use as a legal reference in a suit the organisation had instituted (Number FHC/ABJ/CS/65/2020) at the Federal High Court demanding that the asset declaration form of the President and the Vice President which were submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) since they assumed office, should be published on various media platforms.
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Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP Deputy Director asked the President and his Vice to publish their assets declaration form in the spirit of transparency and accountability. He also called on Mr Abubakar Bagudu, governor of Kebbi State, other governors and their deputies to ’emulate’ and learn from Mr Samaila’s openness concerning his assets.
Oluwadare commended Samaila for taking the right steps in acknowledging the SERAP suit and complying with the civic governance demands of the NGO. According to Oluwadare, the commendation was imperative because of the ‘blatant disregard for the Freedom of Information Act by government officials.
Femi Morgan