Politics
SERAP Urges Tinubu To Direct CCB To Publish President’s, VP’s, Others Assets
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu “to request the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to publish your assets and encourage your Vice-President Kashim Shettima, ministers, and the leadership of the National Assembly, state governors, as well as the chairmen of Nigeria’s 774 local governments to also request the CCB to publish their assets.”
The president had during his first Presidential Media Chat last Monday reportedly said, “I will consider asking the CCB to release my assets.”
In the letter dated 28 December 2024 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “We welcome your reported decision to consider asking the CCB to publish your assets as a significant development, and a signal of your intent, willingness, and commitment to show leadership on this important matter of public interest.”
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The SERAP said, “But your ‘consideration’ would ‘carry more weight’ if you were to promptly translate the intent into action by asking the CCB to publish your assets and encouraging your Vice-President, ministers, leadership of the National Assembly and state governors, as well as the chairmen of local governments to do the same.”
According to the SERAP, “Secrecy in the assets declared by high-ranking public officials to the CCB continues to facilitate corruption at all levels of government, especially in the country’s 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and federal ministries, departments and agencies [MDAs], as well as local governments.”
The SERAP also said, “Secrecy in asset declaration forms also provides the biggest opportunities for the abuse of public money for private gain. Acting as recommended would reduce the opportunities for corruption at all levels of government.”
The letter, read in part: “However, transparency and accountability in the states and local governments won’t happen without you pushing for the immediate and effective implementation of the Supreme Court decision of 11 July 2024, stopping state governors from taking over local government funds.”
“Asking the CCB to publish your assets and encouraging your Vice-President, ministers, the leadership of the National Assembly and state governors, as well as the chairmen of local governments to also ask the CCB to publish their assets would promote and ensure the public trust, transparency and accountability.”
“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 the people.”
“Despite the Supreme Court decision, several state governors reportedly continue to take over local government funds.”
“Your intent, willingness and expressed commitment to promote transparency in asset declarations should include prioritising the immediate and effective implementation of the Supreme Court judgment and holding state governors to account for contempt of court, as they continue to blatantly disobey the judgment.”
“The immediate and effective implementation of the Supreme Court judgment is the best antidote for reducing cases of state-level corruption and would contribute to addressing the allegations of diversion of local government funds needed for vital public services.”
“Corruption continues to directly affect the lives and well-being of millions of Nigerians in several states, and to erode public trust in public institutions.”
“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.”
“There are widespread reports of corruption in several states of the federation, and federal ministries, agencies and departments [MDAs].”
“The best measure of a country’s progress toward transparency and accountability is a total obedience to the rule of law. The law ought to command the highest levels of respect by for example, the state governors immediately obeying the Supreme Court judgment and stop collecting and taking over local government funds.”
“Nigeria’s democracy ought to have as its foundation transparency, accountability and respect for the rule of law at all levels of government.”
“Treating the Supreme Court judgment with contempt is antithetical to any contemporary notion of the rule of law and democracy, and counter-productive to any efforts to hold state governors to account for their alleged misuse of public funds.”
“The Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] acknowledges the importance of citizens’ access to the details of assets filed with the CCB by public officers, as contained in Paragraph 3 (c) of Part 1 of its Third Schedule.”
“According to the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, contained in Part I of the Fifth Schedule to the Nigerian Constitution, 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 CCB 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 to which Nigeria is a state party 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 these recommendations will help guide your steps in taking the necessary action to ask the CCB to publish your assets and to encourage your vice-president, ministers, the leadership of the National Assembly, state governors and chairmen of Nigeria’s 774 local governments to do the same.”
The judge to whom the suit filed by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was assigned at the Federal High Court, Abuja has stepped down from the matter.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu made the disclosure on Tuesday, in Abuja, explaining that his decision was informed by a petition questioning his impartiality, which was submitted by the Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The matter had been scheduled for hearing, however, when the court clerk called it up, the judge held that he was stepping aside.
He said he would return the case file to the Chief Judge, who would assign it to another judge.
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Recall that on March 4, 2025 Justice Egwuatu issued an interim order stopping the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from proceeding with disciplinary actions against Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The embattled senator was accused of violating the Senate’s rules.
The judge ruled that the disciplinary process should be stood down, until the case was decided.
He also gave the defendants 72 hours to explain why the court should not stop them from investigating the senator without following the rules laid out in the 1999 Constitution, the Senate Standing Order 2023, and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.
In addition, Justice Egwuatu allowed the senator to serve legal documents on the defendants using substituted means.
The court ordered that the documents be given to the Clerk of the National Assembly or pasted at the National Assembly premises.
They were also to be published in two national newspapers.
The interim order came after the senator filed an urgent application.
However, despite the court’s ruling, the Senate Committee still held its meeting and suspended her for six months.
Later, after the defendants applied, Justice Egwuatu amended his earlier order.
He removed the part that prevented the Senate from taking any action while the case was ongoing.
Meanwhile, Akpabio’s legal team, led by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, questioned the court’s authority to interfere in Senate affairs.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has thrown its weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, arguing that decisive action was necessary to prevent further deterioration of the crisis.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos, NNPP National Chairman, Dr. Agbo Major, stressed that no responsible government would sit back and allow instability to escalate unchecked.
“President Tinubu is the Chief Security Officer of Nigeria. The information available to him as president from intelligence sources may not be in public purview,” Major said.
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He added that the decision to suspend the state government was based on the severity of the crisis, which could have worsened without swift intervention.
“The government in Rivers was suspended, and no one can actually say what would have happened by now, judging from the deepening crisis.
“The crisis was further compounded by some leaders who, instead of offering advice or promoting peace during the turmoil, allowed it to escalate before later stepping in to criticize,” he stated.
Major described the security situation in Rivers State as unacceptable, warning that it posed a threat to lives and property.
He defended President Tinubu’s leadership style, noting that making tough decisions, even when unpopular, was a mark of true governance.
“It was a difficult decision to remove the oil subsidy; one that no previous administration was willing to make, whether right or wrong. Tinubu took that step, and we are gradually emerging from the crisis, moving forward for the better,” he explained.
According to him, the government must have had access to intelligence beyond what was available in the public domain before making its decision.
“Six months or less of the emergency rule is in the interest of Rivers residents, democracy, and Nigeria. It is our hope that indigenes of the state shall be streetwise and disregard those with personal interests, who are crying foul,” Major added.
The NNPP chairman urged Nigerian leaders to be mindful of their statements, warning that inflammatory remarks could worsen tensions in Rivers State and affect national stability.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda for a greater Nigeria should be our focus. It is centered on hard work, trust, science and technology, agriculture, education, the rule of law, and more. Focus should be on constructive criticism that will make for greater performance,” he advised.
Addressing concerns about Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike’s involvement in Rivers politics, Major argued that Wike, as a former governor and indigene, naturally has interests in the state.
“Wike as a minister is neither the Inspector General of Police, Chairman of EFCC, Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Judge of the Federation, nor President of Nigeria. If our institutions are not compliant with their statutory functions, why can’t we leave Wike alone to live his life?”
He also emphasized that while opposition to government is vital for democracy, it must be constructive and aimed at fostering good governance.
“Opposition to the government at the center is the lifeblood of democracy and a catalyst for good governance when it is constructive and aimed at enhancing productivity.
“However, if opposition simply means dismissing everything the government does as wrong, then something is definitely amiss,” Major concluded.
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has expressed solidarity with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the state of emergency declared in Rivers State.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Edo State Governor, Fred Itua, vented this in a statement in Benin City on Thursday night, asserting that his principal was not consulted by his colleagues in the South-South Governors’ Forum before going public with their view.
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Itua wrote, “The position by the Governors of the South-South, opposing the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, did not get the nod of Governor Okpebholo. Governor Okpebholo was neither consulted nor informed.
“While Governor Monday Okpebholo acknowledges the right of other Governors in the South-South geopolitical zone to take a position, he, however dissociates himself from any statement that opposes the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, understands the issues at stake.
“Governor Okpebholo supports actions so far taken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that will bring lasting solutions and peace to Rivers State and the South-South geopolitical zone.”
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