Opposition Parties Battle Over President Tinubu’s Assets

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) have called upon President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima to publicly declare their assets, emphasizing the importance of leading by example in demonstrating their commitment to transparency and accountability.

In a telephone conversation with The PUNCH on Sunday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, highlighted that merely filling out asset declaration forms and submitting them to the Code of Conduct Bureau, as required by law, was not sufficient.

EDITOR’S PICKS

• Akpabio Woos Labour Party, NNPP As Senate Presidential Candidate Campaign Heats Up

• APC Urges Court To Dismiss PDP’s Request For Televised Tribunal Proceedings

• NIS’s Fight Against Passport Corruption: 8 Officers Sacked, 80 On Trial

He urged both leaders to follow the precedent set by former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who publicly declared his financial and material worth before the Nigerian populace.

Ologunagba stated,

“They should follow the path of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua to demonstrate to Nigerians their readiness for transparent and accountable leadership. There are provisions in our laws covering asset declarations by public officers; it is a statutory requirement. Recall that Umaru Yar’Adua, a president elected on the platform of the PDP, declared his assets publicly. Those are the kind of leadership traits expected at that level.”

Contrarily, former Minister of State for Labour and Employment and spokesman for the dissolved APC Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, rebuffed the calls for Tinubu to publicly declare his assets.

Keyamo clarified that public declaration of assets is not a legal requirement and asserted that it is a matter of personal choice. He maintained that if anyone views it as a moral obligation, they may choose to disclose their assets publicly, but it is ultimately an individual decision.

When approached for the Labour Party’s stance on Tinubu making his declared assets public, LP National Chairman Julius Abure opined that Tinubu should be given some time to declare his assets.

While noting that the law mandates asset declaration, Abure personally believed that Tinubu should make the declaration publicly. He also added a lighthearted remark, questioning whether Tinubu would even remember all of his assets, considering his wealth accumulated during his tenure as a senator and two-term governor.

As the debate surrounding the public declaration of assets continues, the opinions expressed by various political figures highlight the contrasting viewpoints on the matter.

FURTHER READING

• Obasanjo Warns Against Failure To Achieve Nigeria’s Full Potential

• ‘Tinubu Can Govern Nigeria From Russia After Inauguration’ – APC Chieftain

• Atiku Sends Warm Wishes To Governor Adeleke On His Remarkable 63rd Birthday

The issue of asset declaration remains a significant aspect of ensuring transparency and accountability among public officers, and the public awaits further developments regarding President Bola Tinubu’s response to these calls.

Click to watch our video of the week