SAN FRANCISCO, October 04, (THEWILL) – The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo to “follow a good example of Mr Yombe Dabai Samaila, deputy governor Kebbi state, by immediately publishing their asset declaration forms.”
In a statement on Sunday by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare said “in the Asset Declaration form of the Yobe State Deputy Governors submitted to the organization on May 28, 2019, and sworn to before the High Court of Justice, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, Mr Samaila declared assets, including landed property and cash in banks, valued at N353,136,378.56.”
In a suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/65/2020 filed in January 2020, SERAP had asked the Federal High Court, Abuja to order President Buhari, Vice-President Osinbajo, 36 state governors and their deputies to “make public details of their assets, specifically property and income, contained in their asset declaration forms submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) since assuming office.”
However, SERAP making reference to the Yobe Deputy Governor said “we welcome Mr Samaila’s demonstrated commitment to transparency and accountability, especially at a time when many government officials and institutions continue to exhibit a blatant disregard for Freedom of Information requests by refusing to even acknowledge several of such requests. President Buhari and Vice-President Osinbajo should show leadership by immediately widely publishing their asset declaration forms, just as Mr Samaila has rightly done.
The statement further urged “Mr Abubakar Bagudu, governor Kebbi state and other governors and their deputies to emulate and learn from Mr Samaila’s good example by immediately publishing their assets.”
