Politics
First Anniversary: SERAP Urges Tinubu To Publish His Assets
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to key into the first anniversary of his administration to publish his asset declaration form.
According a statement, the SERAP urged him “to encourage your Vice-President Kashim Shettima, ministers, and state governors to also widely publish their asset declaration forms.”
In addition, the SERAP urged him “to urgently propose a constitutional amendment to include provisions on the creation of asset declaration database to publish government officials’ asset declaration forms before, during, and after serving in public office.”
This was contained in an open letter dated 25 May 2024 and signed by deputy director, SERAP, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation.
The SERAP stated, “Widely publishing your asset declaration form and encouraging your Vice-President, ministers, and state governors to also widely publish their assets would serve legitimate public interests.
“Publishing your asset declaration form and encouraging others to do so would also promote public trust and establish a system of transparency, accountability and public participation.”
According to the SERAP, “Openness and transparency in the details of asset declaration forms of high-level public officials would strengthen the country’s democracy and promote accountability at all levels of government.
The letter, read in part: “You promised in your inaugural speech on May 29, 2023 ‘to take proactive steps to discourage corruption’, and to ensure that ‘Nigeria is impartially governed according to the constitution and the rule of law’.”
“We urge you to use your first anniversary in office as an important opportunity to underscore and reaffirm your oft-repeated commitment to democratic governance, openness and public accountability by immediately taking concrete steps to implement the proposed recommendations.”
“Transparency in the details of asset declaration forms would also enable Nigerians to scrutinise the forms and verify the financial situation of public officials and alert about possible conflicts of interest and corruption.”
“Asset declaration forms are a matter of public interest and your government ought to provide the leadership and encourage other high-ranking public officials to harness new technologies to publish the details of their asset declaration forms online and make the forms readily available to the public.”
“Corruption is one the greatest challenges to improving the country’s democracy and rebuilding a transparent, accountable and participatory system of governance. One way that corrupt politicians in the country have perpetuated corrupt practices is through hiding assets.”
“Transparency and openness would also increase public confidence in the integrity of high-ranking public officials and government generally, and ensure that political authorities are honest when they provide services to people.”
“Our requests are brought in the public interest, and in keeping with the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended]; and Nigeria’s international anticorruption and human rights obligations.”
“Information regarding the property and economic interests of public officials ought to be accessible to the public through a website created for this purpose.”
“Transparency in the details of asset declaration forms of high-level public officials would also promote citizens’ participation in the fight against corruption which in turn would increase the transparency of public administration and the citizens’ trust in the integrity of state institutions.”
“Those who voluntarily seek or occupy public offices and are catered for by the public have certain fiduciary duties to be open, transparent and accountable to the people regarding the details of their asset declaration forms.”
“Because asset declaration forms are public documents, public officials cannot claim that publishing their assets would violate their privacy rights.”
“There is an overriding public interest in the disclosure of information on the assets of public officers who clearly are trustees of Nigeria’s wealth and resources.”
“Publishing your asset declaration form and encouraging your Vice-President, ministers and state governors to also widely publish their asset declaration forms would enable Nigerians to scrutinize the assets and worth of public officials before taking office and at the end of their term of office.”
“Publishing your asset declaration form and encouraging your Vice-President, ministers and state governors to also widely publish their asset declaration forms would also send a powerful message of your commitment to uphold the country’s constitutional guarantees and international obligations.”
“According to the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, contained in Part I of the Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], all public officers are to declare their assets.”
“Paragraph 11(1)(a)(b) of the Fifth Schedule provides that every public officer shall immediately after taking office and thereafter (a) at the end of every four years; and (b) at the end of his/her 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.”
“Section 15(1) of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and Tribunal Act also requires all public officers to declare their assets.”
“Article 7(1) of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption and Articles 7(4) and 8(5) of the UN Convention against Corruption also contain similar provisions and requirements for public officials to declare their assets before, during, and after serving in public office.”
“The Nigerian Constitution and the anticorruption and human rights treaties show the significant role that asset declaration by public officials plays in promoting transparency, accountability and preventing and combating corruption in the public service.”
“Section 109 of the Evidence Act defines a public document to include documents forming the acts or records of the acts of public officers. Asset declaration forms kept with the Code of Conduct Bureau therefore qualify as public documents under section 109.”
“We hope that the aspects highlighted will help guide your steps in taking steps to publish your asset declaration form and to encourage others to do so.”
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has called for collective efforts to rebuild Nigeria, tackle corruption and end bad leadership, saying the country must work for everyone rather than a privileged few.
Obi made the call on in a statement titled “Rebuilding Nigeria” following his arrival in London from Basel, Switzerland, at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
He disclosed that his busy schedule included several engagements and meetings with stakeholders in the United Kingdom, including British government officials and members of the Nigerian diaspora.
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According to him, he rounded off the day with an evening meeting organised by the COPDEM Chief and the NDC Director of Diaspora Affairs, which brought together other stakeholders in London.
Obi said the discussions centred on the collective responsibility of Nigerians to free the country from bad leadership, corruption and a lack of accountability, which he identified as challenges undermining national development.
He noted that these challenges had deprived millions of Nigerians of access to basic necessities, including quality healthcare, education and decent employment.
The former Anambra State governor stressed that Nigerians deserved a country where every life mattered, hard work was rewarded and citizens had a fair opportunity to succeed regardless of their backgrounds or connections.
“We must build a Nigeria where the child of nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody. A country that works for everyone, not just a privileged few,” he said.
Obi expressed optimism about the country’s future, declaring that “A New Nigeria is POssible.”
The African Action Congress (AAC) has asked President Bola Tinubu to approve the inauguration of its Presidential Campaign Council at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party also requested food, drinks and other logistical support for 5,000 participants expected to attend the event from within and outside Nigeria.
The requests were contained in a letter dated October 21, 2026, and addressed to the President at the Presidential Villa. The party proposed November 11, 2026, for the inauguration ceremony.
SEE ALSO: 2027: Sowore Unveils Sweeping Agenda, Says AAC Will Transform Nigeria
In the letter, the AAC said its requests were based on the principles of multiparty democracy, political inclusiveness and equal treatment of political parties.
The party also referred to arrangements reportedly extended to the All Progressives Congress (APC) for a similar political engagement, arguing that its request should receive equal consideration.
The AAC said approving the requests would demonstrate the Presidency’s commitment to fairness and equal access to public institutions, regardless of political affiliation.
“We believe that granting this request would demonstrate the Presidency’s commitment to fairness, equal access, and the principle that public institutions must serve all Nigerians without partisan discrimination,” the letter stated.
The party further requested information on the applicable procedures and conditions for approval.
The letter was signed by the AAC National Secretary, Oshiokhue Philip Ikpeminoghena, on behalf of the party.
The proposed inauguration is part of the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) has launched investigations into petitions seeking the cancellation of gas distribution licences held by NIPCO Plc in five locations.
This is as the Committee accused the Executive Vice President (Downstream) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Dr Mumuni Dagazu, of money laundering and abuse of office.
The Committee also constituted two sub-committees to conduct preliminary investigations into the petitions, which its Chairman, Ikenga Ugochinyere, described as serious complaints requiring urgent attention.
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The decision was announced on Monday in Abuja at the technical briefing marking the end of Downstream Week 2026.
The Sub-Committee investigating the allegations against Dagazau will be chaired by Aliyu Al-Mustapha, with Amobi Ogah as Deputy Chairman. It has seven days to conduct a preliminary investigation and report its findings to the main Committee.
The Sub-Committee examining the NIPCO petition will be chaired by Peter Aniekwe, while Shehu Dalhatu would serve as Deputy Chairman.
The petition against NIPCO calls for the investigation, suspension and cancellation of gas distribution licences issued by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to the company for Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Osun states, as well as the Lagos and Lekki Free Trade Zones.
In the second petition, the complainants accused Dagazau of money laundering and abuse of office. The Committee, however, stressed that the allegations had not been established and that the investigation would determine the merits of the complaints.
Addressing journalists at the event, Ugochinyere said the Committee had not reached any conclusion on either matter, assuring all parties of a fair hearing.
“These are allegations, and the Committee has reached no conclusion on them. All parties will be given a full and fair opportunity to be heard,” he said.
He added that the Committee would not ignore complaints touching on the integrity of the downstream petroleum sector and promised that Nigerians would be informed of the outcome of the investigations.
Neither NIPCO Plc nor Dagazau had publicly responded to the petitions as of the time of the briefing.
The investigations formed part of the Committee’s wider review of developments in the downstream petroleum sector during Downstream Week 2026, at which it also passed votes of confidence in President Bola Tinubu, the leadership of the NMDPRA and Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
The Committee said reforms in the sector were yielding results but identified pipeline security, reliable crude supply to domestic refineries and a properly regulated import market as areas requiring sustained government attention.
Ugochinyere praised the NMDPRA’s Chief Executive, Rabiu Umar, and the authority’s Executive Directors, saying their work had helped stabilise the sector.
Figures presented at the briefing indicated that “domestic refineries increased their contribution to national petrol supply by more than 75 per cent, with no supply shortfalls recorded and more than 25 days of national sufficiency maintained.”
The committee also cited “the commissioning of the Port Harcourt Petroleum Product Laboratory, the licensing of a petroleum liquid trading exchange and the finalisation of a framework for a national strategic stock of up to 20 days,” adding that, “plans are in place to raise the reserve to 90 days in 2027.”
Despite the progress, Ugochinyere insisted that energy security depended on effective pipeline protection and adequate crude supply to local refineries.
“There is no supply security without pipeline security,” he said, adding that importation should supplement verified shortfalls rather than become a permanent substitute for domestic production.
He also called for strict enforcement of the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation, saying local refineries must have reliable access to feedstock to remain viable.
The Committee disclosed that it had opened an inquiry into alleged underpayment for crude oil by some companies and questioned NNPCL over legacy transactions and refinery rehabilitation.
“We will not accept silence as an answer,” Ugochinyere warned.
The committee further urged the Federal Government to increase funding for pipeline surveillance and ensure timely provision of logistics to operators, arguing that improved security had contributed to the rise in crude oil production.
It expressed confidence that Nigeria could achieve its target of producing three million barrels of crude oil per day with sustained government support.
The committee also said it would continue to pursue amendments to the Petroleum Industry Act to strengthen provisions on crude supply to domestic refineries, licensing and protection of local refining investments, while maintaining a regulated import market.
Ugochinyere said the objective was to balance immediate security of supply with the long-term development of Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity.
“Our goal is balance: security of supply today, and a strong domestic refining industry for tomorrow,” he stressed.
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