L
LequteMan
Guest
Nigeria - The Code of Conduct Bureau has refused to release information concerning the asset declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari and VP Osinbajo following a request by a civil society group.
The Stop Impunity Nigeria, an affiliate of the Centre for Social Justice, had on June 1, 2015 invoked the Freedom of Information law and applied to the CCB to request copies of the completed assets declaration forms by the President and his deputy, Vanguard reports.
But, in its response on June 10, 2015, the CCB declined the request, citing the absence of prescribed law by the National Assembly authorizing the release of such information to the public.
The bureau says it will not make public the details of assets declared by President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo due to limitations in federal laws covering such release.
“Assets declarations by public officers contain such personal information, which falls within the exemptions to the disclosure of information in the FOIA,” the Bureau added, explaining further that, paragraph 3(c of the Third Schedule, Part 1 of the constitution (as amended) empowered it to “make assets declarations of public officers available for inspection by any citizen of Nigeria only on terms and conditions prescribed by the National Assembly.
“However, the terms and conditions under which that can be done have not yet been prescribed by the National Assembly.”
President Buhari had promised to declare his assets once he gets into office during the presidential campaign.
The Stop Impunity Nigeria, an affiliate of the Centre for Social Justice, had on June 1, 2015 invoked the Freedom of Information law and applied to the CCB to request copies of the completed assets declaration forms by the President and his deputy, Vanguard reports.
But, in its response on June 10, 2015, the CCB declined the request, citing the absence of prescribed law by the National Assembly authorizing the release of such information to the public.
The bureau says it will not make public the details of assets declared by President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo due to limitations in federal laws covering such release.
“Assets declarations by public officers contain such personal information, which falls within the exemptions to the disclosure of information in the FOIA,” the Bureau added, explaining further that, paragraph 3(c of the Third Schedule, Part 1 of the constitution (as amended) empowered it to “make assets declarations of public officers available for inspection by any citizen of Nigeria only on terms and conditions prescribed by the National Assembly.
“However, the terms and conditions under which that can be done have not yet been prescribed by the National Assembly.”
President Buhari had promised to declare his assets once he gets into office during the presidential campaign.
