The president, Maj. Gen. Muhammad Buhari (veteran), Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and 44 ministers of the Federal Executive Committee will begin declaring their assets by May 29, when their term ends.
CCB Chairman General Affairs Special Advisor Dr. Mustapha Musa confirmed to The PUNCH on Sunday that the necessary arrangements have been made for the issuance of asset forms to retiring officers and their successors.
Also, outgoing presidential aides, 28 state governors and their ministers, legislators and state legislators, and local government heads receive property declarations from the Code of Conduct Office and submit them to her CCB in accordance with regulations. 1999 Constitution.
This is consistent with the constitutional requirement that all civil servants declare their assets and liabilities upon taking office and at the end of their term of office.
However, President-elect Bora Tinub, Vice-President-elect Kassim Shetima, and his 28 new governors and their cabinet members, as well as members of the state legislature, by the time he submitted the asset forms to his CCB, he had three There is a grace period of months. In addition, for land and assets purchased, whether domestic or foreign, the value of those assets must be declared in the currency of the country in which the assets are located.
Asset declaration
The CCB chairman explained that relevant officials must receive a form from her CCB office and declare all assets, including money, property, vehicles, stocks, bonds, etc., and the source of the assets. .
Musa explains: That's what the law says. He submits the form when he leaves the office. You cannot file an asset declaration while in the office. "So that's the entrance and exit. That's what the Constitution says, that's what Section 15 of the Code of Conduct Act says. Anyone who's about to take office but has three months before self-declaration. is the same.”
SA announced the asset declaration form is available online, adding that the department will soon digitize the declaration process.
“Officials are expected to obtain forms from the office, and in fact can even access them online. Stop and ask them to file a statement online.
When asked if a retiring employee had come to pick up the documents, he said, "It depends on how you think about it, but the law stipulates that if you choose now before coming to work, you can't submit it." You have 2 months to fill out the form now and you can't give it to us. ”
Regarding the prosecution of delinquents, officials claimed that a number of former governors, former ministers and other officials have been charged with failing to declare assets after resigning.
He added: "We are pursuing indictments and securing convictions. We track thousands. We have hundreds of cases in court. We track daily. The Code of Conduct Office is the only body authorized by the Constitution to prosecute violations of the Civil Service Code of Conduct.
“In court, only the judiciary has the power to prosecute public officials. So the court is always our hope.
Musa explained that the CCB has educated officials on the need to comply with the law, stressing that the CCB is more focused on ensuring compliance than law enforcement. “The main thing we do is make sure our officers adhere to our officer code of conduct. We aim to comply, not prosecute them, but we have the power to prosecute them, the court is here," he said.
A CCB representative, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the forms will begin to be issued in mid-April or early May. He added: "Because it is difficult to trace a person who may disappear after leaving office, we are beginning to issue Form CCB1 before the end of his term. Before taking oath "We will start issuing forms this month for incoming [officers] who can fill out and return the completed asset declarations," he said. .
According to guidelines published on the CCB website, failure to declare assets can lead to impeachment. In some cases, they leave their official seats in each House. imposition of fines; deprivation of membership in the Legislative Yuan for a period not exceeding 10 years and barred from holding public office.
"The law states that the above sanctions do not prejudice penalties that may be imposed by law if the conduct is also a crime," the statement said.