President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday received Assets Declaration Forms from the Code of Conduct Bureau and pledged to declare his assets on time as stipulated by the law.
President Buhari made the pledge when he received the Chairman of Code of Conduct Bureau, Prof. Mohammed Isah, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The President, who described the Bureau as a critical institution, promised to ensure that all ministers declare their assets.
President Buhari, who thanked officials of the Bureau for serving him with the forms, said it was institutions like the Bureau that would assist the government in its efforts toward ensuring financial discipline and accountability in the polity.
He said: “I thank you very much for serving me my forms which I must fill constitutionally before my second term of office.
“I think we cannot over emphasize the importance of your office because Nigerians we are notorious for cutting shortcut in serving and accounting (for) public responsibilities.
“It is only institutions like you that will bail us out from the efforts that we have been making to make sure that people in public office do not abuse that public office.
“And that those who come in and those that are leaving in certain positions make sure that they hold the integrity of the office and of the country generally.
“I am very pleased that you are here, I assure you I will quickly fill this form and dispatch it back to you so that at the end of 2023, I believe there are a lot of people that will like to take it back on me.
“So please, make sure you keep it safe because there are people who believe they shouldn’t be questioned but are being questioned and some of them are already in trouble.
“I expect them to fight back and this is one of the instruments. So I hope you will keep it safely. Thank you very much indeed.’’
Earlier in his remarks, Isah said they came to discharge their duty as required by the constitution of the country.
Isah, who led a delegation from the Bureau, presented the Assets Declaration forms to the President.
He said: “Mr President, as part of the constitutional requirements, there is need for every public officer – President, Vice-President, Ministers, members of the National Assembly to declare their assets and liabilities in compliance with paragraph 11 sub 1 of the part 1 of fifth schedule of the constitution.’’
Those who witnessed the presentation of the forms to the president included Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari and Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity.(NAN)
