The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders says since President
Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo have publicly declared their
assets, it is the turn of the number three citizen in the country, Senate
President Bukola Saraki, to do the same.
The Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said this was the
only way transparency and true change could be achieved.
The CACOL boss stated this in an interview with The Punch on
Sunday.
Adeniran noted that the current anti-corruption drive of the
All Progressives Congress-led government would not be complete unless those
occupying public offices can prove that they have not illegally enriched
themselves.
He said once Saraki declares his assets, the Speaker of the
House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, as well as all principal officers
of the National Assembly would also be motivated to do the same.
He said, “Specifically, the principal officers of the
National Assembly must declare their assets starting from the Senate President.
All ministers and those who will work directly with the President such as the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the President’s Chief of
Staff must also declare their assets publicly.
“That is how we will know that they have clean hands.
Otherwise, they will become conduit pipes through which money will be siphoned
from the public purse. Without such declaration, nobody knows how much they
might have made after leaving office”.
Adeniran further stated that the wives and children of
public office holders must also be subjected to similar scrutiny because they
are usually the beneficiaries of ill-gotten wealth.
He added, “It is now the norm that anyone that wants to
serve in any position of leadership of the present administration to publicly
declare his or her assets because already, we have doubts about how much these
individuals have made over the years.
“We want to know how much they are worth and have a
benchmark with which we would measure what they would declare at the end of
their tenure. Their spouses, children and siblings should also declare their
assets since they enjoy whatever must have been received by the public
officials”.
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