ABUJA – President Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) received copies of his asset declaration form at the State House in Abuja on Friday. The Code of Conduct Bureau delegation, led by Chairman Prof Isah Mohammed, arrived at the Aso Rock Villa in the afternoon to present the forms to the president.
This action by President Buhari is in accordance with the provision of the 1999 constitution, which mandates all public officers to declare their assets and liabilities upon assuming office and at the end of their tenure.
The asset declaration form is a crucial component of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) and is obligatory for all elected, appointed, recruited, and contracted public officers.
As per the law, declarants are required to disclose their assets and liabilities, including those of their spouses (if not a public officer) and children under the age of 18. They must submit the completed forms to the Code of Conduct Bureau within 30 days of receiving them.
The President-elect, Bola Tinubu, Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima, and 28 incoming governors, along with their cabinet members and state assembly representatives, are also expected to submit their asset forms to the Code of Conduct Bureau.
Guidelines published on the Code of Conduct Bureau’s website outline the consequences of failing to declare assets, which include potential removal from office, vacation of the official seat in a legislative house, imposition of fines, disqualification from legislative membership and holding any public office for up to 10 years, and the seizure and forfeiture of any property acquired through abuse or corruption of office.
President Buhari’s compliance with the asset declaration requirement reinforces the commitment to transparency and accountability in public office. The submission of these forms by top government officials sets an important precedent for upholding the principles of good governance in Nigeria.
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