GovIndex Leadership Empowerment and Development Foundation, has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide the complete 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023 presidential election results for the 774 local government areas in the country within 20 working days.

The group in a letter to INEC dated March 30, 2023 and signed by its Lawyer, Barrister Udoka Oguekwe, made the request under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act pursuant to Section 1(I), (2011).

The letter reads in part: “I request a waiver of all fees for this request as this information is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute to public understanding and confidence in the activities of the government in general and the commission in particular.

“If you deny this request, please cite each specific exemption under the law that justifies the refusal to release the information.

“I look forward to your reply within 20 work days.”

The request is coming less than one week after GovIndex Foundation dragged former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, Muslim Akinsanyo (M.C Oluomo), Bayo Onanuga, Reno Omokri and Sam Omatseye to the Department of State Service (DSS) over alleged hate speech capable of instigating violence against Igbos.

*APC behind cloning of Obi’s identity, London airport detention — POSN*

Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), is behind the cloning of the identity of Labour Party (LP) Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, in Britain, culminating in his recent detention by UK immigration officers at Heathrow Airport in London. This is according to the Peter Obi Support Network (POSN).

The group in a statement issued on Friday and signed by FCC Onwuasoanya Jones of its Directorate of Strategic communications, expressed shock at the extent the APC Government of President Muhammadu Buhari is determined to go in its bid to neutralise the influence of Obi, whom it sees as a nightmare and the main threat to its stolen presidential mandate.

“From spending billions of naira paying lobbyists and sponsoring propaganda teams to the USA and UK, the Buhari-led APC Government has now graduated to sponsoring a clone of Peter Obi in the UK in its desperation to demonise a man widely recognised as the conscience of the nation,” POSN said.

It noted that the passport with which the fake Peter Obi obtained UK Visa, must have been issued by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), adding: “It is instructive that the Nigerian Government has remained silent on Obi’s unwarranted Heathrow Airport ordeal, one full week after the regrettable incident”.

POSN said that though unfortunate, Obi’s underserved humiliation at Heathrow Airport has its positive sides. “It provided Nigerians at the airport an opportunity to rise in defence of their hero and they did so – for which we’ll eternally be grateful. It also has exposed the dirty anti-Obi schemings of the APC Government as the whole world now knows that whatever crime is committed by the fake Peter Obi has nothing to do with the one and only Peter Gregory Obi, who is universally known and respected for his unimpeachable integrity,” POSN said.

The group advised the Buhari-led APC Government to stop wasting scarce resources seeking Obi’s downfall, adding: “Rather than be discouraged, this can only make Obi more resolute in recovering his stolen mandate through the judicial process and in rededicating himself to the crucial task on helping to birth a new Nigeria, which, of course, is very much POssible.”

‘Publish your assets, encourage Osinbajo, others to do so’, SERAP tells Buhari

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to use his “leadership position and role as the African Union Anti-Corruption Champion to widely publish your asset declaration form as you conclude your term of office in May 2023 and to leave a legacy of transparency.”

SERAP also urged him to “encourage Vice-President Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan; Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila and high-ranking officials of the next administration to also promptly publish their assets to date.”

According to the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, contained in Part I of the Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], all public officers are to declare their assets immediately after taking office; at the end of every four years; and at the end of his/her term of office

In the open letter dated 15 April 2023 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said: “Publishing your asset declaration form and encouraging other public officials and officials of the next administration to do so would enable Nigerians to scrutinize the assets and worth of public officials before taking office and at the end of their term of office.”

SERAP said, “Those who voluntarily seek or occupy public offices and are catered for by the public have certain fiduciary duties to be open, transparent, and accountable to Nigerians regarding the details of their asset declaration forms.”

According to SERAP, “Because asset declaration forms are public documents, public officials cannot claim that publishing their assets would violate their privacy rights. There is an overriding public interest in the disclosure of information on the assets of public officers who clearly are trustees of Nigeria’s wealth and resources.”

The letter, read in part: “SERAP urges you to emulate the good example of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who consistently published his asset declaration forms as president and governor of Katsina State.”

“He also planned legislative reform to make it mandatory for all public officers to declare their assets publicly. He believed that publishing his assets would put pressure on other public officers to do so.”

“Publishing your asset declaration form and encouraging other public officials and the officials of the next administration to do so would also send a powerful message of your commitment to uphold the country’s constitutional guarantees and international obligations.”
“It would also show that you are ready to do what is needed to leave a legacy of transparency and accountability.”

“Apart from encouraging other officials and the officials of the next administration to publish their asset declaration forms, publishing your asset declaration form widely would also address allegations that many officials tend to make false declarations in order to cover up assets illegally acquired in corruption or abuse of office.”

“Our requests are brought in the public interest, and in keeping with the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended]; the Freedom of Information Act; the UN Convention against Corruption; African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption; the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to Nigeria is a state party.”

“According to the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, contained in Part I of the Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], all public officers are to declare their assets.”

“Paragraph 11(1)(a)(b) of the Fifth Schedule provides that every public officer shall immediately after taking office and thereafter (a) at the end of every four years; and (b) at the end of his/her term of office, submit to the CCB a written declaration of all his/her properties, assets, and liabilities and those of his/her unmarried children under the age of eighteen years.”

“Section 15(1) of the CCB and Tribunal Act also requires all public officers to declare their assets.”

“Article 7(1) of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption and Articles 7(4) and 8(5) of the UN Convention against Corruption also contain similar provisions and requirements for public officials to declare their assets before, during, and after serving in public office.”

“The Nigerian Constitution and the anticorruption and human rights treaties show the significant role that asset declaration by public officials plays in promoting transparency, accountability and preventing and combating corruption in the public service.”

“Section 109 of the Evidence Act defines a public document to include documents forming the acts or records of the acts of public officers. Asset declaration forms kept with the Code of Conduct Bureau therefore qualify as public documents under section 109.”

“Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution makes provision for the fundamental right to information. Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights also guarantee access to information.”

“We hope that the aspects highlighted will help guide your actions in taking steps to publish your asset declaration form and to encourage others to do so.”

Kolawole Oluwadare
SERAP Deputy Director
16/4/2023
Lagos, Nigeria
Emails: info@serap-nigeria.org; news@serap-nigeria.org
Twitter: @SERAPNigeria
Website: www.serap-nigeria.org
For more information or to request an interview, please contact: +2348160537202