1st Anniversary: You Must Publish Your Assets, SERAP Tells Tinubu

A Lagos-based rights group has insisted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must publish his asset declaration form in the spirit of his 1st anniversary in office and in demonstration of his oft-expressed commitment to democracy, accountability, and openness in government.

The insistence emanated from the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) through a statement issued by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare.

SERAP equally urged President Tinubu to encourage his vice, Kashim Shettima, ministers, and state governors to also publish their asset declaration forms.

The group further tasked the president to propose a constitutional amendment to include provisions for the creation of an asset declaration database to publish government officials’ asset declaration forms before, during, and after serving in public office.

Referring to its open letter dated May 25, 2024, the group stated that, “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 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.

“Our requests are brought in the public interest, and maintaining the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], and Nigeria’s international anti-corruption and human rights obligations.”

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