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.”
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has declared that he has no deal to share legislative or local government area-seats with the Osun chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The governor made the clarification amidst social media reports that the deal between the governor and the presidency include sharing of local government positions as well as those of Senate, House of Representatives and State Assembly between Osun Accord and the state APC in the forthcoming elections.
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The governor who reaffirmed his commitment to the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said the negotiation for the resolution of the local government crisis targets protection of the interests of both the APC chairpersons and those of the elected PDP chairmen and councillors, affirming that reports of office sharing remain mere fabrication and fake news.
“As the governor of all Osun indigenes and residents, we are working to resolve the local government matter by ensuring that all interests are protected and cared for. As at now, all stakeholders agreed that restoring grassroots governance is a condition for our successful campaign ahead of the 2027 elections”, the governor posited.
While assuring that the local government crisis will be resolved before the end of the year, the governor submitted that he did not enter into any agreement to share legislative seats with the Osun APC as has been rumoured, declaring that “what unites the coalition partners is only the presidential elections.
“As I said while inaugurating the Presidential Campaign Council, the coalition is targeted at the presidential election. Partners agreed to join hands to ensure our dear president is re-elected. All other legislative positions are open for competition. I will work and campaign for Accord candidates for Senate, House of Representatives and the State House of Assembly.
“I urge all political parties to campaign for their candidates as I will do for Accord candidates. We have no deal on the National Assembly and the State Assembly elections. All our candidates will face the electorate who has the final say”, Adeleke said.
Politics
2027 Election: Allowing Sowunmi’s Wife to Head INEC Electoral Operations Is ‘Rigging Beforehand’ — Okonkwo
The spokesperson of the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign, Kenneth Okonkwo, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of creating a potential conflict of interest ahead of the 2027 general elections, alleging that allowing the wife of Segun Sowunmi to head the commission’s Electoral Operations Department amounts to rigging the election before it takes place.
Okonkwo made the allegation during an appearance on ARISE News on Wednesday, where he questioned the appropriateness of the appointment and argued that the position carries responsibilities capable of influencing the conduct of elections.
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Explaining his objection, the lawyer and political commentator said the issue was not necessarily whether the appointee would act impartially, but whether the relationship could create a reasonable perception of bias.
“We are not talking about whether there will be bias. We are saying that anything that has the likelihood of bias is not allowed,” he said.
He compared the situation to legal and medical professions, arguing that certain relationships are considered inappropriate when they could compromise professional independence.
“That is why your father cannot be a judge in your own case. Your father may be the most honest person in the whole world, but cannot be a judge in your own case if you are the son. It is illegal,” Okonkwo said.
He also cited an instance involving a senator whose wife was a judge, arguing that personal relationships could raise questions about impartiality in the handling of official responsibilities.
Okonkwo said the Electoral Operations Department plays a central role in the administration of elections, particularly in the distribution of electoral materials and the deployment of personnel.
Listing the department’s responsibilities, he said it oversees the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive election materials, recruits and trains ad hoc staff, and coordinates polling unit and collation operations.
According to him, these responsibilities make the position particularly important to the credibility of the 2027 elections.
“So allowing the wife of Sowunmi to be the electoral operations department officer is rigging the election before the time,” he said.
He further argued that the appointment should be considered against the political affiliations of those involved, referencing Sowunmi’s political association and his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He alleged that the circumstances surrounding the appointment created a risk of bias, insisting that the concern was about the possibility of compromised electoral neutrality rather than proof that election manipulation had already occurred.
When asked to provide evidence that the election had already been rigged, Okonkwo maintained that the likelihood of bias was sufficient to warrant concern.
“No, I’m telling you, there is absolute likelihood of bias. I’m telling you what the law says,” he said.
He also questioned the integrity of the voters’ register, alleging that deceased persons remained listed among registered voters.
“What is going on in the voters register? You can see how dead people are still found there. Akeredolu is still there,” he said.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to make the preliminary register of voters for the 2027 general elections available online following concerns over its accessibility.
This comes after reports of delays in uploading the preliminary register online, despite the completion of the nationwide physical display exercise, raising concerns about public access to the document ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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In a press statement issued on Monday, October 26, 2026, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), said the commission had taken note of concerns expressed by Nigerians and other stakeholders regarding the need to make the register accessible online.
INEC disclosed that it conducted the physical display of the Preliminary Register of Voters at Registration Areas nationwide from October 9 to 15, 2026.
According to the commission, the exercise was carried out in accordance with Section 19 of the Electoral Act, 2026, to provide registered voters with an opportunity to inspect their particulars and submit claims and objections as prescribed by law.
Responding to the concerns, INEC said it had decided to make the same preliminary register available through its online platform.
“Accordingly, and in furtherance of its commitment to transparency, accessibility and public confidence in the electoral process, the Commission has decided to make available on its online platform display.inecnigeria.org the same Preliminary Register of Voters earlier displayed at the Registration Areas,” the statement said.
The commission explained that the additional measure would complement the physical display already conducted and provide wider access to the register.
“This additional measure complements the physical display already undertaken and is intended to facilitate wider public access to the Register,” INEC stated.
The commission added that it was continuing to process claims and objections arising from the exercise in accordance with the Electoral Act, 2026.
INEC said the process would precede the certification and publication of the Final Register of Voters, scheduled for December 15, 2026.
The commission also appreciated Nigerians and other stakeholders for their continued interest and engagement, reiterating its commitment to transparency, accountability and credible elections.
“The Commission appreciates the continued interest and constructive engagement of Nigerians and stakeholders and reiterates its commitment to transparency, accountability and the faithful implementation of the Electoral Act, 2026 in delivering credible elections,” the statement added.
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