PDP want Tinubu, Shettima to make their assets declaration public

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President, Kashim Shettima to follow the path of the late President Umaru Yar'adua by making their assets declaration public.

The opposition in an interview with ThePunch on Sunday, June 4, 2023, said it was not enough for Tinubu and Shettim to fill out assets declaration forms and submit them to the Code of Conduct Bureau.

In a telephone conversation with the newspaper, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba said the president and his vice should demonstrate their readiness for transparent leadership.

“They should follow the path of the late President Umaru Yar’ Adua to demonstrate to Nigerians their readiness for transparent and accountable leadership. There are provisions in our laws covering asset declarations by public officers; it is a statutory requirement. Recall that Umaru Yar’Adua, a president elected on the platform of the PDP, declared his assets publicly. Those are the kind of leadership traits expected at that level,” he said.

Meanwhile, Festus Keyamo, the spokesperson for the dissolved APC Presidential Campaign Council has rejected the call for the president to declare his assets publicly.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria argued that assets declaration is a matter of choice saying there is no legal requirement for it.

“Public declaration of assets is not a legal requirement. The public deserves to know this. It is just a matter of choice. If anyone thinks it is a moral obligation, he can do it. But that is left to individuals,’’ he said.

The PDP is challenging the declaration of Tinubu as winner of the February 25 presidential election.