Outgoing President, Muhammadu Buhari, has directed all his cabinet members to pick up and fill the assets declaration form before the incoming administration, which is set to be inaugurated on May 29.
The President in a statement issued by his Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Friday, in Abuja, said there must be strict adherence to the constitutional requirement of assets declaration before and after taking office.
According to the president, the exercise is aimed at strengthening best practices, raising moral standards in public service, and helping to build integrity and combating corruption.
“To this extent, he has directed that all outgoing officials, elected and appointed from the Vice President downwards must collect the assets declaration form, fill and return it as he has done.” he said.
Speaking upon collecting his form from Professor Isah Mohammed the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, in Abuja on Friday, President Buhari said no one is excluded from the Constitutional duty of assets declaration.
“I signed, collected and acknowledged receiving my form. From here, I will ask my bank Manager in Kaduna to show me what has gone in and out of my account. Nobody is excluded from declaring their assets. I expected everyone from the Vice President downwards to follow the system.”
In response, Professor Mohammed said the President’s compliance in the last eight years and the support he had given to the Bureau had enabled it to achieve 99% compliance by elected and appointed officials.
He also acknowledged the support of the President in the achievement of the digitization of its services and operations thereby helping the organisation to open investigation of cases with greater efficiency.
