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Publish your assets, Shettima, others should follow, SERAP urges Tinubu
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has called on President Bola Tinubu to direct the Code of Conduct Bureau to publish his declared assets.
SERAP also urged Tinubu to encourage Vice-President Kashim Shettima, ministers, state governors, and National Assembly leaders to follow suit.
This was stated in a press release shared on Sunday but dated December 28, 2024, and signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
The organisation commended Tinubu for his recent statement during his first Presidential Media Chat, in which he indicated that he might request the CCB to release his assets.
“We welcome your reported decision to consider asking the CCB to publish your assets as a significant development and a signal of your intent, willingness, and commitment to show leadership on this important matter of public interest,” the letter read.
However, SERAP urged the President to act swiftly, stating that “consideration” would carry greater weight if promptly followed by directives.
“Your immediate action to request the CCB to publish your assets and encouraging your Vice-President, ministers, National Assembly leaders, state governors, and local government chairmen to do the same will promote public trust, transparency, and accountability,” SERAP stated.
The organisation highlighted the damaging effects of secrecy surrounding asset declarations by public officials, describing it as a major enabler of corruption across all levels of government.
“Secrecy in the assets declared by high-ranking public officials to the CCB continues to facilitate corruption in the country’s 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and within ministries, departments, agencies (MDAs), and local governments,” the letter emphasised.
SERAP also linked transparency in asset declarations to the Supreme Court ruling on July 11, 2024, which barred state governors from taking over local government funds. The group urged Tinubu to enforce this ruling.
“Transparency and accountability at the state and local government levels won’t materialise without your push for the immediate implementation of the Supreme Court decision,” SERAP added.
“Despite the judgment, several state governors reportedly continue to divert local government funds.”
The group stressed the urgency of enforcing the ruling to reduce corruption and ensure public funds earmarked for local governments are used for essential services.
“Your expressed commitment to transparency should include holding governors accountable for contempt of court if they persist in disobeying the Supreme Court judgment,” SERAP wrote.
The letter highlighted the broader implications of corruption, describing it as a fundamental threat to Nigeria’s democracy, eroding public trust and worsening economic hardship.
“Corruption is one of the greatest challenges to improving Nigeria’s democracy and rebuilding a transparent, accountable, and participatory system of governance,” the organisation noted.
“One way corrupt politicians perpetuate corruption is through hiding assets.”
SERAP referenced various legal provisions, including the Nigerian Constitution, the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, and the United Nations Convention against Corruption, which mandate asset declaration by public officials.
“The Nigerian Constitution recognises the public’s right to access details of assets declared by public officials,” SERAP stressed, referencing paragraph 3(c) of Part 1 of the Third Schedule and paragraph 11 of the Fifth Schedule.
The organisation expressed hope that Tinubu’s leadership would set a precedent for transparency and accountability across all levels of government.
“We hope that these recommendations will guide your steps in asking the CCB to publish your assets and encouraging others to do the same,” SERAP stated.
The Police Service Commission has endorsed the appointment of six Deputy Inspectors General of Police and the promotion of the Commissioner of Police Enugu State Command, Uzuegbu Kanayo to the next rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police.
The new Deputy Inspectors General of Police are Sadiq Idiris Abubakar, Commandant Police Academy , Wudil, Kano. He was former Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory; CP Peace keeping Operations and Coordinator, Police Special Forces; Benjamin Nebolisa Okolo, former AIG, Zone 16, Yenagoa and presently AIG Department of Information Communication Technology, Force Headquarters Abuja and Williams Adebowale, Commandant, Police Staff College Jos.
Others are Bzigu Yakubu Kwazi Bali, AIG FCID, Annex Enugu; Idegwu Basil Ukuoma, AIG Zone 14, Katsina and Adebola Ayinde Hamzat, AIG Zone 16 Yenagoa and former Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command. He was also a former CP Border Patrol, Force Headquarters, CP Crime Prevention and Community safety; Deputy Force Secretary and currently AIG in charge of NPF Counter Terrorism Unit, CTU, Force Headquarters Abuja.
CP Kanayo Uzuegbu Commissioner of Police Enugu State Command promoted to the next rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police was a former Assistant Commissioner Operations Zone 9, Umuahia; Area Commander, Owerri; Area Commander Karu, Nasarawa state; Commander Switch Operation Switch, Portharcourt; Deputy Commissioner Finance and Admin Edo State Command, DCP, state CID, Osun State and Commissioner of Police Operations, Communication, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The Commission also approved the appointment of Commissioners of Police for Oyo and Enugu State Commands. CP Ademola Johnson, Principal Staff Officer to the Inspector General of Police was appointed CP Oyo State. He was also a former Deputy Commissioner of Police Delta State Command. CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa was appointed CP, Enugu State to take over from newly promoted AIG Kanayo Uzuegbu. CP Giwa was former DCP Operations Kaduna and Imo State Commands; ACP Police Mobile Force, Force Headquarters Abuja; and CSP A, Commissioner of Police Mobile Force, Force Headquarters among other postings in the Police Mobile Force.
The Commission also approved the promotion of eight Chief Superintendents of Police to the next rank of Assistant Commissioners of Police. They are Abdullahi Kamba Usman; Sani Abdu; Ifeanyi Owo; Vincent Orole; Elisha Atikinkpan and Margaret Okonkwo. Others are Alhasan Aliyu Guga and Imo Owinizi Ezekiel.
The newly promoted senior Police Officers were subjected to Written examinations and interactive oral interview.
The Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd mni, presided over the sessions with Justice Paul Adamu Galumje, Justice of the Supreme Court rtd and Honourable Commissioner representing the Judiciary in the Commission; DIG Taiwo Lakanu rtd fdc, Honourable Commissioner representing the Police and Chief Onyemuchi Nnamani, Secretary to the Commission in attendance.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) will on May 28, arraign Mr Karl Toriola, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of MTN Nigeria Communications Plc.
Toriola, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and others will be arraigned over alleged failure to produce documents and information required by the commission in compliance with a lawful summons contrary to the FCCPC Act.
The company and its CEO will be arraigned alongside Tobechukwu Okigbo, MTN’s Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer and Ikenna Ikeme, General Manager, Regulatory Affairs of MTN, before Justice H.J. Yilwa of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that FCCPC had, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/354/2024, named MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, Toriola, Okigbo and Ikeme as 1st to 4th suspects respectively.
The suspects were preferred with two counts in the charge, dated July 19, 2024, and filed July 22, 2024 by a team of lawyers led by Akoji Achimugu.
When the matter was called, they were not in court.
Justice Yilwa asked the FCCP lawyer, Chizenum Nsitem, the whereabouts of the suspects.
Nsitem informed the court that though the matter was scheduled for the arraignment of the suspects, he was just briefed about the case and would need more time to study the case file.
The judge adjourned the matter until May 28 for arraignment.
NAN reports that the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) had earlier filed charge against MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd; its CEO, Toriola; MTN Senior Executive Officer, Nkeakam Abhulimen; Fun Mobile Ltd, a telecommunications service provider; and Yahaya Maibe, its CEO.
The NCC, in the three-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/111/2024 presently before Justice Inyang Ekwo of a sister court, filed it on March 20, 2024.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants, between 2010 and 2017, “offered for sale, sold and traded for business, infringed musical works of Maleke Moye, an artiste, without his consent and authorisation.”
The commission alleged that the defendants used Maleke’s musical works and sound recordings with subsisting copyright, known as “caller ring back tunes” without the authorisation of the artiste.
The musical works and sound recordings of the musician allegedly infringed upon include “911, Minimini-Wana Wana, Stop Racism, Ewole, 911 instrumental, Radio, Low Waist, and No Bother.”
They were also alleged to have illegally distributed the musical works to their subscribers, without authorisation, thereby infringing on the rights of the artiste.
In the third count, the suspects were alleged to have had in their possession, the musical works and sound recordings of the artiste, other than for their personal or domestic use.
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The copyright commission said the alleged offence is punishable under Section 20 (2) (a) (b) and (c) of the Copyright Act, Cap. C28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Justice Ekwo had, on Feb. 25, adjourned the matter until May 15 for report, following the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF)’s interest to take over the case.
…seek UK backing for constitutional reforms
By Gloria Ikibah
The Speaker House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, has affirmed that the 10th Assembly will play a pivotal role in advancing gender inclusion and balance in Nigeria’s political and governance structures.
The Speaker who stated this on Monday in Abuja when he received a delegation of British parliamentarians eemphasised that the 10th House has prioritised gender parity and is actively working on constitutional amendments to entrench this goal.
Highlighting the House multiparty composition, he assured the visiting MPs that beyond political diversity, the 10th Assembly is strongly committed to promoting the rights and participation of women and youth in governance.
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